Bitcoin Forum

Also posted to Reddit:

http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/1uzeo6/can_your_face_serve_as_your_bitcoin_address/


Given advances in facial recognition software, could you register your face with a trusted "face registrar" such that it is associated with a Bitcoin address (or sequence of addresses based on a seed) of your choosing? Then we could be paid by anyone who can take a photo of us. . .

This is a special case of a more general question of whether an image (or an audio recording) of an arbitrary object can be reliably associated with a sequence of Bitcoin addresses, such that facsimiles (such as photos or re-recordings) of the same object can be submitted to the registrar to determine their Bitcoin address.
This would allow payment for any visual or audio works of art without requiring the artist to reveal their identity.

Comments?

First why would you if it could the whole notion to me is creepy. Without privacy there is not real freedom and ultimately they are pushing to know what we are thinking right now just tracking us.

But since millions what this lets say you go that route, it can be faked you stick a 3d of a face (make a model using a 3d printer or someone can make it) and stick in from the the wallet and wolla.

How does that work? Doesn't the data of the facial recognition reveal the identity? In the same notion a fingerprint can reveal who you are, or your blood type if there is a record of it. So if there is a record of your facial structure to access payment, it wouldn't be difficult to reveal someone anonymity.

As for the rest, I haven't the slightest. All I know is there are far better ways to do something like this.

The point is that it allows you (the owner of the face) to be paid without using a QR code . . . I'm not talking about a biometric private key. . . for that you'd use DNA or a retina scan, presumably.

A uniquely identifiable facial recognition scan is -- by definition -- a biometric identifier.

Do you mean the scan is the public key? How are you going to do this without the exposure of the private key? How will you account for 'CRC errors' in the public key, due to inaccuracies?

He means that after the scan encodes the biometric information, it is sent to a web service that looks up your address in a database.

No thanks, I'll just use the QR code if you don't mind.

Sending my biometric data to a database.  :-\

It probably could do in the not too distant future but I am with the crowd here, I wouldnt want it to and dont like it but that doesnt mean some people wouldnt think its a great idea and take it up.

It does however make for an interesting oppertunity for how BC could be transferred

just take a picture of your face and do a sha256sum.  then to decrypt, do it again.  although the lighting and facial expression must remain exactly the same!  also the zits on your face must be in the same position

::)

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eigenface

to turn my face into a private key.......... hmmmm.. lets think about this.

1. the fact that using my face to make a private key is iffy. EG my chubby cheeked with zits face at 16, differs to my slender face now in 30's. which will differ again to the saggy, veiny and wrinkled skin like old leather when my old age.
2. i would have to use a photo to ensure 100% conversion every time to get at my private key.
3. others could google image/social network search to gain peoples images
4. it involves third party trust

so lets make a fiat comparison

would i entrust a third party with all my debit card pin numbers and accounts with the promise from them that no one can access it without my face... simple answer is no

bitcoin is suppose to be self managed and self secured. we do not need third party promises