Lesson 2: AI & Faces – How Machines Recognize You (IRL & Online)

"How AI Sees You & What You Can Do About It"

🔍 What’s the Problem?

Most people think AI only recognizes clear photos of their face, but modern AI tracking is much more sophisticated and persistent.

✔ AI doesn’t need a perfect face scan—it can recognize people with partial faces, side views, even blurry images.
✔ Body movement, ear shape, and even shadows can help AI identify you.
✔ Web3 & Online: Many crypto KYC systems, smart cameras, and social media platforms use AI for biometric verification—even without you realizing it.

🔹 Why does this matter?

• If you use multiple accounts, AI can still connect them based on subtle patterns.
• Online anonymity becomes harder if AI can predict your identity even with a changed username or profile pic.
• Many Web3 platforms use AI-driven identity verification, which could link wallets, exchange accounts, and social profiles without your consent.

But don’t worry—AI isn’t invincible, and you can mess with it!

🤯 AI Privacy Fail Example

📌 A Protester Covered Their Face But Was Still Identified

• A protester in 2021 wore a mask and sunglasses to avoid AI surveillance.
• AI still identified them using ear shape, head size, and walking pattern.
• Lesson? Covering your face isn’t enough—AI looks at everything else too.
  

🛠 Tricks to Disrupt AI Face Tracking

1️⃣ Break the Symmetry (AI Loves Perfect Faces)

✔ AI loves symmetry—anything that disrupts it confuses facial recognition.
✔ How to mess with it:
✅ Cover one side of your face with hair, a hood, or an accessory.
✅ Use asymmetrical lighting (one side in shadow, one side bright).
✅ Tilt your head in different ways when taking photos.

⚠️ What NOT to do:
❌ Covering only the lower half of your face (AI still recognizes your eyes).
❌ Wearing a standard medical mask (AI has adapted to them).

🔗 Example: How Asymmetry Disrupts AI Recognition
👉 CV Dazzle: Using Fashion to Beat AI

2️⃣ Partial Face Tricks – The Side-Profile Move

AI tracks ears, jawlines, and even cheekbones to ID people in crowds.

How to mess with it:
✅ Take side-profile shots instead of full-frontal images.
✅ Try high-collared jackets, scarves, or large headphones.
✅ Glasses with thick frames can reduce tracking accuracy.

⚠️ What NOT to do:
❌ Thinking sunglasses alone will block AI—they only cover one data point.

3️⃣ Body Tracking – AI Knows You Without Your Face

✔ AI also tracks how you move—your posture, gait, and even gestures.

How to mess with it:
✅ Walk slightly differently when in public AI-heavy areas.
✅ Try baggy clothes or oversized jackets to alter body shape.
✅ Keep hands in pockets or use accessories to cover posture markers.

⚠️ What NOT to do:
❌ Thinking only about face-tracking—AI watches your whole body.

4️⃣ Web3 & Online: How AI Links Faces & Wallets

✔ AI can match social media profiles, crypto transactions & identity data—even if your face is hidden.

How to mess with it:
✅ Use different profile pics across accounts to avoid facial matching.
✅ Be aware that some KYC services use AI-driven biometric verification.
✅ Avoid posting multiple images of yourself from different angles on public platforms.

🔥 AI Myths: Does This Work?

🚫 “A mask completely hides my identity.” ❌ No! AI still uses forehead & ears.
🚫 “If I cover my face, AI can’t track me.” ❌ Wrong! AI also tracks body movement.
✅ “Breaking symmetry & changing body posture disrupts AI.” ✅ Yes! AI needs consistency to track people.

⚡ Quick Takeaways

✔ AI can track you even with partial faces, side views, or bad lighting.
✔ Breaking symmetry and changing posture can disrupt facial recognition.
✔ Your body language can be just as revealing as your face.
✔ Simple tweaks make it harder for AI to auto-match you!

🛠 Try This Experiment

📌 Take a selfie with one side of your face covered. Does your phone’s Face ID still work?
📌 Use a side-profile picture as a profile pic—does AI still suggest friends based on it?
💬 Share your results in the Privacy Academy chat

🎭 What’s Next?

👉 Lesson 3: Fashion That Confuses AI (IRL & Virtual)

👁 Final Thought:

AI tracking isn’t just about faces—it’s about patterns. If you change small details, you make it harder for AI to confidently track you across platforms and real life. Privacy is about playing with perception.

Now, let’s make fashion work in our favor.