Facial recognition technology is getting a lot
better but that doesn’t necessarily mean consumers will like it.
The recent set of Apple product announcements included a facial-recognition feature called Face ID on the coming iPhone
X.
However, when it comes to being favorable to facial recognition, consumers are not so keen on the idea.
More than a third (39%) of consumers are unfavorable toward facial
recognition software in devices such as the iPhone X, with just over a third (34%) favorable, based on a new survey. About a quarter (26%) either don’t know or have no opinion.
The study
comprised a survey of 2,200 U.S. adults conducted by Morning Consult.
There are differences based on demographics, but they aren’t dramatic.
For example, 39% of males are
favorable toward facial recognition compared to 30% of females. There also are some differences based on age. Here, by age, are the percentages of consumers favorable toward facial recognition:
- 39% -- 18-29 years old
- 36% -- 30-44 years old
- 35% -- 55-64 years old
- 33% -- 65 years and older
- 27% -- 45-54 years old
One thing that
marketers of facial recognition may want to take note of: it makes 50% of consumers nervous and only 27% not nervous.
Facial recognition also makes more than half (56%) of consumers worry
about their privacy and even more (76%) concerned about identify theft.
The technology may a bit ahead of the consumer desire here.