Although facial recognition is gradually becoming a part of the American population’s life, the American population is no less anxious. According to a report by The Brooking Institution, 50% of US Internet users are now worried about the development of technology. At the same time, marketers, on the other hand, are enthusiastic about taking advantage of it.

Between worries and projections

Of course, the prospect of a flurry of facial recognition use cases is also of concern to the US authorities. A bill has been proposed to ensure that companies using it obtain the consent of consumers and warn them when they visit a store or a website that operates it.

Advertisers and technology providers see facial recognition as a way to bring innovations and improvements to their services. Last year, Unilever reportedly tested it in-store to measure consumer engagement in Brazil and the United States. Also, it serves other purposes such as monitoring consumer buying habits and alerting salespeople to customer history (preferences and previous purchases) as soon as they enter the store. Cases of use perceived as frightening for 60% of respondents in a RichRelevance study.

facial recognition study

It is therefore in the best interests of brands to act with prudence and transparency. To integrate facial recognition into their advertising, measurement or customer relationship systems, they will have to consider the fears expressed by the general public as one of the main barometers to be taken into account. But the most important obstacle will certainly remain the US authorities. In February, San Francisco became the first American city to ban the use of facial recognition by government agencies.