# Startup says that it can detect tendencies for things like terrorism through facial analysis. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 25, 2016, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/startup-says-that-it-can-detect-tendencies-for-things-like-terrorism-through-facial-analysis/755655 "2016-05-25T13:20:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/startup-says-that-it-can-detect-tendencies-for-things-like-terrorism-through-facial-analysis/755655/1 "2016-05-25T13:20:30Z")
[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2016/05/24/terrorist-or-pedophile-this-start-up-says-it-can-out-secrets-by-analyzing-faces/](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2016/05/24/terrorist-or-pedophile-this-start-up-says-it-can-out-secrets-by-analyzing-faces/) > [@](#): > > An Israeli start-up says it can take one look at a person’s face and realize character traits that are undetectable to the human eye. > > Faception said it’s already signed a contract with a homeland security agency to help identify terrorists. The company said its technology also can be used to identify everything from great poker players to extroverts, pedophiles, geniuses and white collar-criminals. > … > Faception has built 15 different classifiers, which Gilboa said evaluate with 80 percent accuracy certain traits. The start-up is pushing forward, seeing tremendous power in a machine’s ability to analyze images. So, homeland security is spending money on a modern day version of phrenology. Look at the company’s website. It’s like some kind of parody. It’s like Nazis measuring nose size. > **[FACEPTION | Facial Personality Analytics](https://www.faception.com/)** > > Faception is a facial personality analytics technology company. This is obviously nonsense, but even if they were correct, by their own statements they’d be wrong 20% of the time. Of every 5 people they’d label as a terrorist or a pedophile, one would be completely innocent. The fact that homeland security has invested in this is frightening. ---
**Author:** ![Randolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Randolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randolph)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/startup-says-that-it-can-detect-tendencies-for-things-like-terrorism-through-facial-analysis/755655/2 "2016-05-25T13:22:41Z")
I have a machine that can predict criminal tendencies through skin pigment analysis, too. Call me, DHS. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/startup-says-that-it-can-detect-tendencies-for-things-like-terrorism-through-facial-analysis/755655/3 "2016-05-25T14:09:44Z")
Eh. Law enforcement is already infatuated with polygraph machines. Those things are regarded as pseudoscience by many scientists, and the National Research Council has found no evidence of effectiveness (cite: Wikipedia). Worse yet, they will act even when the machine _doesn’t_ give them grounds. My wife’s nephew’s probation officer tried to send him back to jail on the basis of an “inconclusive” polygraph result. The illusion of control is very seductive. ---
**Author:** ![Pabitel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbce88/32.png) [@Pabitel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pabitel)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/startup-says-that-it-can-detect-tendencies-for-things-like-terrorism-through-facial-analysis/755655/4 "2016-05-25T14:10:45Z")
And they said there was nothing to [Phrenology](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phrenology). (they were right of course) ---
**Author:** ![Me\_Billy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Me\_Billy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Me_Billy)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/startup-says-that-it-can-detect-tendencies-for-things-like-terrorism-through-facial-analysis/755655/5 "2016-05-25T14:22:33Z")
Look at all the mug shots of prisoners in your local jail. Then go to your local college and look at the people there. Notice any general differences? I SURE do! ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/startup-says-that-it-can-detect-tendencies-for-things-like-terrorism-through-facial-analysis/755655/6 "2016-05-25T14:40:22Z")
> [@Me\_Billy](#): > > Look at all the mug shots of prisoners in your local jail. > > Then go to your local college and look at the people there. > > Notice any general differences? I SURE do! You know, I honestly thought that no one here would try to defend this. Silly me. ---
**Author:** ![Me\_Billy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Me\_Billy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Me_Billy)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/startup-says-that-it-can-detect-tendencies-for-things-like-terrorism-through-facial-analysis/755655/7 "2016-05-25T14:43:41Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > You know, I honestly thought that no one here would try to defend this. Silly me. Place yourself in other people’s shoes. You might learn a few things. Many police departments have ride along programs. Might want to ride along with an officer some time. It will open your eyes! ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/startup-says-that-it-can-detect-tendencies-for-things-like-terrorism-through-facial-analysis/755655/8 "2016-05-25T14:47:00Z")
This isn’t the pit, so I’m not taking the bait. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/startup-says-that-it-can-detect-tendencies-for-things-like-terrorism-through-facial-analysis/755655/9 "2016-05-25T14:59:32Z")
Someone has pointed out that the company stated that they had “signed a contract with a homeland security agency”, but did not specifically say that it was US homeland security, so it could be any country. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/startup-says-that-it-can-detect-tendencies-for-things-like-terrorism-through-facial-analysis/755655/10 "2016-05-25T15:01:37Z")
Beady eyes are the giveaway. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/startup-says-that-it-can-detect-tendencies-for-things-like-terrorism-through-facial-analysis/755655/11 "2016-05-25T15:01:54Z")
This sounds like something I might want to integrate into the new racial profiling software platform I’m developing. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/startup-says-that-it-can-detect-tendencies-for-things-like-terrorism-through-facial-analysis/755655/12 "2016-05-25T15:11:22Z")
They can even pick out those dastardly bingo players! > **[FACEPTION | Facial Personality Analytics](https://www.faception.com/)** > > Faception is a facial personality analytics technology company. (Scroll down to “OUR CLASSIFIERS”.) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/startup-says-that-it-can-detect-tendencies-for-things-like-terrorism-through-facial-analysis/755655/13 "2016-05-25T15:14:25Z")
> [@Me\_Billy](#): > > Look at all the mug shots of prisoners in your local jail. > > Then go to your local college and look at the people there. > > Notice any general differences? I SURE do! Go to your local college, arrest people at random. Book them and take their mugshots. See any difference? Me neither. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/startup-says-that-it-can-detect-tendencies-for-things-like-terrorism-through-facial-analysis/755655/14 "2016-05-25T16:25:58Z")
> [@Randolph](#): > > I have a machine that can predict criminal tendencies through skin pigment analysis, too. Call me, DHS. I have a program that can predict sociopathic tendencies by analyzing the target’s connection to government security agencies. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/startup-says-that-it-can-detect-tendencies-for-things-like-terrorism-through-facial-analysis/755655/15 "2016-05-25T17:55:37Z")
Man there’s a sucker born every minute. Remember the [fake bomb detector](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADE_651)? People paid good money for a “glorified dousing rod”. Now they’re buying more snake oil. Will they ever lean? How stupid are these people? ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/startup-says-that-it-can-detect-tendencies-for-things-like-terrorism-through-facial-analysis/755655/16 "2016-05-25T19:05:49Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Man there’s a sucker born every minute. > > Remember the [fake bomb detector](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADE_651)? People paid good money for a “glorified dousing rod”. Now they’re buying more snake oil. Will they ever lean? How stupid are these people? I don’t recall hearing about that one, but when I saw the above article I immediately thought of this one: [Quadro Tracker - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadro_Tracker) > [@](#): > > The device consisted of three principal components. A “locator card” purportedly containing a “signature” of the object to be detected was inserted into a plastic “card reader” about the size of a tape cassette that could be attached to the user’s belt. This was connected to a hand-held unit about 4 inches (10 cm) long to which a horizontally swivelling metal antenna was attached. The antenna would purportedly point to the item being sought when a suitable locator card was inserted into the “card reader”. > > According to the manufacturers, the Quadro Tracker could be used to detect items as varied as drugs, weapons, explosives, specific people, golf balls, alcohol, precious metal, dead pets or wild game animals. In the most expensive version of the device, costing $8,000, the user could insert Polaroid photographs of the item or person to be detected. According to Quadro Corp., “Quadro units have been designed to locate people from a photograph, as well as from a fingerprint. Thus missing prisoners, or escaped prisoners can be located with ease. The machine will identify an individual, no matter what disguise or surgery is undertaken. It has been tested over a distance of 500 miles, and will track, we believe, at any distance.” > … > Numerous US school boards, airports and police departments purchased the Quadro Tracker before it was banned. The Blue Valley Unified School District and Shawnee Mission School District in Kansas bought Quadro Trackers for $955 per unit to detect drugs and ammunition in local schools. Polk County Public Schools in Florida bought several Quadro Trackers to share between its schools. > … > The FBI commissioned the FBI Laboratory’s technicians and Sandia National Laboratories to examine the device. They found that the Quadro Tracker contained no electronics whatsoever. It was merely an empty plastic box in which the only metal parts were a couple of wires and the antenna, which were not connected to each other. The antenna was merely a transistor radio aerial. Attorneys for Quadro Corp. later contended that the inductors and oscillators supposed to be inside the device “aren’t the type usually thought of by electronics experts”. The “locator chip” was shown to be equally fake; one example put on display by the FBI contained dead ants that had been frozen and stuck onto paper with epoxy glue. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/startup-says-that-it-can-detect-tendencies-for-things-like-terrorism-through-facial-analysis/755655/17 "2016-05-25T19:10:16Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I don’t recall hearing about that one, but when I saw the above article I immediately thought of this one: [Quadro Tracker - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadro_Tracker) That’s the device that turns up in a Clancy novel to save the heroes, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/startup-says-that-it-can-detect-tendencies-for-things-like-terrorism-through-facial-analysis/755655/18 "2016-05-25T19:20:20Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > That’s the device that turns up in a Clancy novel to save the heroes, isn’t it? I have no idea. Clancy writes about it as if it really works? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/startup-says-that-it-can-detect-tendencies-for-things-like-terrorism-through-facial-analysis/755655/19 "2016-05-25T19:25:47Z")
I’m putting my money into mood rings. They are uncannily accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/startup-says-that-it-can-detect-tendencies-for-things-like-terrorism-through-facial-analysis/755655/20 "2016-05-25T19:30:36Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I have no idea. Clancy writes about it as if it really works? My mistake - Clancy used the similar DKL Lifeguard in his novel [Dowsing for Dollars: Fighting High-Tech Promises with Low-Tech Critical Thinking Skills - by Robert T. Carroll - The Skeptic's Dictionary - Skepdic.com](http://skepdic.com/essays/dowsingfordollars.html) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/startup-says-that-it-can-detect-tendencies-for-things-like-terrorism-through-facial-analysis/755655.md?page=2)