Facezam Has Turned Out to be a Hoax
 |
| The Independant |
Well, it might have been, or it might have been a marketing firm grasping for their 15 minutes. It was Mashable who managed to uncover the hoax. Following on from the leading story in the Telegraph, they tried to get in touch with Facezam's alleged CEO Jack Kenyon, but after they sent over a few basic legal queries, he vanished.
Not only that, but no Google searches could uncover any information about him, and the website and Twitter page for the company were both suspiciously sparse. Add to that the fact that Facebook said they'd never given any permissions of any kind to Facezam (something which I admittedly knew at the time of writing) and the picture starts to come together. Their domain name was even registered anonymously.
Eventually, Kenyon (or whatever his real name is) spilled the beans, revealing that they had planned to admit it was a hoax on the app's launch date (March 21st) but the reaction had been so disproportionately massive that they had put a rush on things. Facebook, and the wider world, can rest easy.
Of course, this kind of thing does happen for real. Google ran into some difficulty with it when NameTag tried to turn Google Glass into a stalker's paradise, and another app called FindFace still exists, although that one uses image data from VKonkakte - Russia's largest national social network.
Nobody in their right mind would ever disagree that 'ending anonymity' is a good idea, and thanks to the Facezam prank now a lot more people are thinking it. More to the point, Facebook, Microsoft, Google and others have all been developing far more accurate facial recognition software, and the more that technology develops, the easier it will be to do exactly what Facezam claimed to be doing. It's yet another demonstration of the fact that we need to show tech developers what we do and do not want, rather than letting them decide for us.
Callum is a film school graduate who is now making a name for himself as a journalist and content writer. His vices include flat whites and 90s hip-hop. Follow him @Songbird_Callum
Contact us on Twitter, on Facebook, or leave your comments below. To find out about social media training or management why not take a look at our website for more info: TheSMFGroup.com
Facezam Has Turned Out to be a Hoax
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Friday, March 17, 2017
Rating:
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Friday, March 17, 2017
Rating:
Unknown
Keeping you up to date on social media, digital marketing, apps, news & reviews. Social media, and digital marketing as a whole, are rapidly and constantly changing, adapting to new developments at an ever increasing rate. Just keeping up to date can be a nightmare. Our team of writers know their field, and keep an ear to the ground. We aim to keep you informed of all recent developments in the online world, and teach you a little something along the way. So whether you just want to stay connected, or gain some knowledge for yourself, the Social Songbird will keep on singing! More articles are posted every day so keep checking back! Join the discussion on Twitter - #SocialSongbird Or contact us directly - @SocialSongbird_
Entrepreneur, international speaker on Social Media Marketing. First one in the UK to write and speak in conferences about Twitter as a marketing tool. Consultant to Corporate Companies, Government Organizations, Marketing Managers and Business Owners.
Aspiring novelist with a passion for fantasy and crime thrillers. He hopes to one day drop that 'aspiring' prefix. He started as a writer and soon after he was made Executive Editor and Manager of the team at Social Songbird. A position he held for 5 years.
Adrienne is a passionate writer with experience in editing, content creation, and social media marketing. She’s a lover of animals, helping others improve their writing, and 2000s pop culture.
Musician, audio technician, professional tutor and a Cambridge university English student. Interested in writing, politics and obsessed with reading.
Recently graduated with a BA in English Literature from the University of Exeter, and he is about to study an MA in Journalism at the University of Sheffield. He is an aspiring journalist and novelist; in his free time he enjoys playing chess, listening to music and taking long walks through nature.
Lucy is an undergraduate BSc Politics and International Relations student at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Anna Coopey is a 4th year UG student in Classics at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. She is a keen writer and researcher on a number of topics, varying from Modern Greek literature to revolutionary theory.
Ellie is a recent BA English Literature graduate and aspiring publisher with a passion for writing. Her favourite pastimes include reading and shopping.