구글이 안경 형태의 스마트 단말기 ‘구글 글래스’에서 얼굴인식 기능의 애플리케이션을 일단은 제외하기로 했다.

구글은 사생활 침해와 관련한 문제를 고려해 얼굴인식 기능을 지닌 소프트웨어를 승인하지 않기로 했다고 지난달 31일(현지시간) 밝혔다.

구글은 이날 구글 플러스 홈페이지를 통해 공개한 메시지에서 “강력한 사생활 보호책 없이는 우리 제품에 얼굴인식 기능을 추가하지 않겠다”고 말했다.

구글은 “구글 글래스의 얼굴인식 기능에 대한 주변의 관심과 우려를 경청한 결과 이같이 판단했다”고 설명했다.

그러나 이번 결정으로 구글 글래스에서 얼굴인식 기능이 완전히 제외되는 것은 아닌 것으로 보인다.

구글은 “얼굴 인식 기능 글래스웨어(구글 글래스용 애플리케이션)를 현재로서는 (at this time) 승인하지 않을 방침”이라며 “앞으로 소프트웨어 업데이트와 정책상의 진전을 통해 더 많은 것을 배워가겠다”며 여지를 남겼다.

구글 글래스는 사진 촬영과 길 찾기, 동영상 보기, 메시지 보내기, 인터넷 접속 등이 가능한 안경 형태의 스마트 단말기로 지난달 샌프란시스코에서 열린 구글의 연례개발자회의(I/O)에서 공개됐으며 내년 중 일반에 판매될 예정이다.

그러나 최근 미국 연방 하원의원들이 얼굴 인식 기능을 통한 원치않은 개인정보 유출 가능성과 방지 대책을 묻는 서한을 구글에 보내는 등 구글 글래스를 둘러싼 사생활 침해 논란이 끊이지 않았다.



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Google nixes face-recognition features in Glass eyewear

Google late Friday put out word that it won‘t add face-recognition features to Glass, in a bow to privacy fears raised about the camera-enabled Internet-connected eyewear.

“We won’t add facial recognition features to our products without having strong privacy protections in place,” Google said in an online message aimed at software developers creating applications for Glass.

“With that in mind, we won‘t be approving any facial recognition Glassware at this time,” the message continued, revealing how the company intends to refer to software designed for the devices.

In May, a group of U.S. lawmakers asked Google to answer questions on the privacy implications and possible “misuse of information” of its Glass project.

Eight U.S lawmakers in the Congressional Privacy Caucus sent a letter saying they are “curious whether this new technology could infringe on the privacy of the average American.”

The law.makers asked Google to provide information about how it would collect and use data from the Internet-linked eyewear, which has been tested by a small group of users and is expected to hit the market later this year.

Some small establishments in the United States have vowed to ban Glass due to worries about how being able to discreetly take pictures or video might be seen as invasive by patrons.

Facebook and Twitter have already launched applications Google glasses.

Several major news organizations have also tailored applications for Glass, which has only been made available to developers and a limited selection of “explorers” who paid $1,500 each for the eyewear.

Envisioned uses range from practical tasks such as shopping or delivering local weather reports to sharing real time video streams of riding cable cars or playing augmented reality games in which the world is the board.

“We’ve been listening closely to you, and many have expressed both interest and concern around the possibilities of facial recognition in Glass,” the California-based Internet titan said in message to ‘explorers.’

“We‘ve learned a lot from you in just a few weeks and we’ll continue to learn more as we update the software and evolve our policies in the weeks and months ahead.

Glass lets wearers take pictures, record video, send messages, or perform other tasks with touch controls or by speaking ”Okay Glass“ followed by a command.

Glass connects to the Internet using Wi-Fi hot spots or, more typically, by being wirelessly tethered to mobile phones. Pictures or video can be shared through the Google+ social network.

Google co-founder and chief Larry Page depicted Glass as part of an ongoing effort to get computers ”out of the way“ so people can focus on lives enriched by what the Internet has to offer.

”We want to make sure we are building experiences that make people really happy,“ Page said while speaking about Glass at a recent San Francisco gathering of developers.