Facial recognition software is being used more and more for identification purposes. In many cases it has proven more accurate in identifying individuals from a large crowd, such as sorting through a data base of millions of images. Law enforcement groups use it to prevent identity thieves who once only needed a new photo to create a bogus license.
However, just because New Jersey state officials say smiling will screw with the software doesn’t mean it’s true. In fact, Pennsylvania to the West, and Delaware to the North, both also use facial recognition software and they allow people to smile for their driver’s license. And the makers of facial recognition say it doesn’t make any difference if the person smiles (or frowns) the computer software they use tracks a variety of points on the face and makes allowances for adjustments to the face–that’s how they can pick people out of a crowd or identify them even when they are disguised.
Leave it to New Jersey to make their citizens look as grumpy as the rest of the country thinks they are.
