“Smart Anonymization does not profile subjects during the anonymization process and preserves non-identifying attributes like age, gender, and gaze direction, so the videos it creates can still be analyzed for commercial purposes.”

D-ID has released a new de-identification solution that removes Personally Identifying Information from video and photo content. Dubbed Smart Anonymization, the platform uses a proprietary algorithm to scrub facial features, licenses plates, and anything else that could be used to identify an individual and replaces those features with an AI-generated approximation.

The solution is being presented as a modern alternative to blurring and pixilation, creating photorealistic images that still respect the privacy of real-life individuals. Smart Anonymization does not profile subjects during the anonymization process and preserves non-identifying attributes like age, gender, and gaze direction, so the videos it creates can still be analyzed for commercial purposes.

As a result, the tech allows companies to make use of footage gathered in smart cities, retail outlets, and other public areas while remaining compliant with the latest privacy standards.

“Privacy regulations like GDPR were put in place to give people power over their personal data, not to prevent companies from reaping the rewards that analyzing big data can offer,” said D-ID Co-Founder and CEO Gil Perry. “Our Smart Anonymization solution fulfills that vision by allowing privacy and visual data commercialization to co-exist.”

D-ID made headlines when it launched a facial recognition jammer in September of 2018, showcasing technology that was developed with $4 million in seed funding. Smart Anonymization would seem to be an evolution of that tech, providing anonymity while offering more direct commercial applications. 

(Originally posted on FindBiometrics)