MasterCard is reportedly planning a new feature which would let users confirm payments with a selfie (achieved using facial scan). The main catch here is not just taking selfies, the feature adds more biometric security later to credit cards.
This new feature needs user to download a special MasterCard phone app to use the feature; the biometric security feature involves a facial scanning technology which at checkout would involve the user to hold up the phone and blink to take a selfie.
Blinking to take a selfie would ensure that anybody doesn’t just hold your picture up to fool the system. You should know that instead of saving each user’s face and data, the system only saves algorithm which it matches with the ones on MasterCard’s server. The company hopes the current selfie trend (and craze) would see customer quickly embrace the new tech.
MasterCard plans to test run the new feature with a small pilot program involving the facial scan to approve online purchases and another program using fingerprints to. The company would be using 500 customers to test the prgrams and if they go according to plan, it would then be made available to all users. There is no timeframe yet for the release.
The company has a deal in place with most major smartphone makers including Apple, Blackberry, Google and Microsoft. Also the company is said to be finalising talks with banks, however, the names of the banks are not disclosed.
MasterCard plans new feature to let users confirm payments with a selfie
Source: CNNMoney
