Overview

Personal privacy is increasingly important in all aspects of life, so Multivista is pleased to announce we now offer face blurring capabilities on any 2D and 360 photos captured by Multivista. This means MEP and Progression shoots can now be modified to protect the identities of any person who appears in the captures by blurring their faces.

Note: We use third-party machine-learning algorithms to identify and blur faces and the accuracy of the final deliverable can be variable depending on factors such as lighting, face angle, distance or people behind glass. Additional QA/QC may be required. Also, please note that the algorithm is trained to look for “a human face” not specific faces. We cannot blur some faces but not others.

Why Blur Faces?

Some projects, such as healthcare, education, or government/military, require added levels of privacy for the people on the project site.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

In Europe, GDPR rules requires consistent personal data protection and face blurring can help clients ensure they are within the rules.

How does it work?
​On any Multivista serviced shoot featuring 2D or 360 photos, Multivista can “turn on” face blurring and the AI algorithm will quickly scan every photo prior to upload for a “recognizable human face” and alter the images as needed. The process is fast (think minutes, not hours) and automatically occurs before the images are uploaded to the MDS.

The process is not 100% foolproof (is anything?) and it will often blur photos of faces such as billboards, faces on TV screens, etc. Generally, if the algorithm cannot recognize a face, the only way someone else would is if they knew the person (their clothes, etc.).

False negative and false positives do happen. For sensitive projects it’s recommended to have an employee QA/QC the photos to ensure compliance. “Missed” face blurs can be flagged and remedied manually.

Best Practices for Clients

If you know you will be using Multivista’s face blurring service on your job site, it’s suggested to post notices that photo documentation is occurring and that best efforts are being taken to ensure personal privacy via face blurring technology. Multivista clients are responsible for obtaining permission from data subjects on site. Alternatively, capturing photos at a time when no one is on the project site, or during non-work hours is an alternative.

For more information reach out to your Multivista representative today.