TheINDYchannel.com

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles is restricting glasses, hats, scarves — and even smiles — in driver’s license photographs.

“Smiles Confuse Facial Recognition Software.”

The new rules imposed last month were deemed necessary so that facial recognition software can spot fraudulent license applications, said BMV spokesman Dennis Rosebrough.

The software compares applicants’ new photographs with old photographs on file to protect them from identity fraud, said BMV commissioner Ron Stiver.

“We take very seriously our responsibility to help protect the personal identity of Hoosiers, and the employment of this innovative technology is yet another important step forward in doing just that,” Stiver said.

Found by Art Snyder.




  1. Timmy the Driver says:

    I wasn’t allowed to smile on my license. I also wasn’t allowed to look to the side or have my eyes closed. This is common practice.

  2. gtriamy says:

    Really… is this really that important? It’s an ID, you stand and look the way they tell you.

  3. Cap'nKangaro says:

    How innovative is the software if a smile screws with it. Would changes to facial hair also throw it off? Or significant weight gain/loss?

  4. Mister Mustard says:

    #3 – Cap’n

    >>How innovative is the software if a smile
    >>screws with it.

    Sounds pretty lame to me. Especially given that all the terrorist suicide bombers will be smiling as they commit their crime, thinking about those virgins awaiting them.

  5. hhopper says:

    Plus they’ll be wearing fake beards, fake mustaches and glasses. That software is a joke.

  6. e says:

    The article says
    > “We take very seriously our responsibility to
    > help protect the personal identity of
    > Hoosiers, and the employment of this
    > innovative technology is yet another
    > important step forward in doing just that,”
    > Stiver said.

    I’m not an American, but I would like to know who this ‘Hoosiers’ person is and why are they doing this just to protect his (hers? its?) identity? It seems like a lot of effort just to protect one person!

  7. hhopper says:

    A Hoosier is a resident of the U.S. State of Indiana.

  8. jasmoran66 says:

    #2- you’re obviously one of them.

  9. jccalhoun says:

    As a lifelong Hoosier I can tell you that since 9/11 the DMV has gone overboard with “protecting” us by continually making it more and more difficult to renew (and presumably get) your driver’s license.

    Last time I had to renew my license I had to provide all sorts of “points” of evidence to prove that I was actually the person in the picture on my old license.

    I’m guessing that they got some money and are trying to justify spending it…

  10. gwensdad2003 says:

    Between this and Indiana Planned Parenthood’s gift certificate idea-are we of Indiana TRYING to outdo Florida for wacky news? It’s a conspiracy!

  11. HMeyers says:

    Next they’ll politely hand you a razor and demand you shave your beard so the software can cope with that.

    I think it would be funny to wear clown makeup for a photo. I wonder what the reaction would be.

  12. Rick Cain says:

    Its like getting a passport photo now. I can’t wear my Khofiya and Egal now!

  13. Uncle Patso says:

    So instead of having the clerk look at the old license and the current applicant to see if they match, we’re ceding another job to our machine overlords. Of course, no one can afford to pay for the most precious commodity there is: the attention of an actual (aware & awake) human being.

  14. OvenMaster says:

    Seriously, when was the last time you saw anyone smiling at the DMV?

  15. FRAGaLOT says:

    Why does the article say “BMV?” that a typo on their part, or what? Bowel Movement Vehicles?

    [Read the headline on the post. – ed.]

  16. Floyd says:

    Yet another reason why my wife and I moved out of Indiana 20 years ago. The state has been strange for a long time.

    Would the woman in the license confuse the software if she dyed her hair red or wore colored contacts?

  17. chuck says:

    It’s all a clever scheme to help distinguish fake drivers licenses from real ones.

    If the police find a license where the guy is smiling, it must be fake. So they tase him.

  18. Mister Mustard says:

    #15 – Frag

    >>Why does the article say “BMV?”

    RTFA.

  19. Mr. Fusion says:

    The last time I remember being in the local Indiana BMV, the clerks smiled, were more than helpful, wished me a great day, the whole nine yards. Until I saw my photo on the license and complained. Nope, no deal, I’m stuck with what I actually look like.

  20. Balbas says:

    In Wisconsin a few years ago, I couldn’t wear my glasses.

    Problem is, I don’t look like myself without them.

    What’s next? No makeup or facial hair?

  21. The0ne says:

    This made my day. It’s got to be one of the dumbest articles I’ve read ever. We got idiots programming crappy software and the DMV supporting them by limiting customers/consumers. Just too funny.

  22. FirstTimeCaller says:

    I saw a news report on this and they seemed to indicate that they run the facial recognition software over night (I guess looking in suspect databases). If this is the case, why don’t they just take two pictures? One for vanity (the license) and one for the database (for facial recognition).

  23. Glenn E. says:

    So they’re no taking your fingerprints, and passing that on to some federal agency. But instead their using your mugshot, to identify all citizens to OHS. I’ll bet they don’t have any Opt Outs for “sharing” with the Feds. Meanwhile the real terrorists come into the US, like all the other illegals. On “everyone is welcome here, no questions asked airlines”, and then they get forged IDs. And few if any businesses and offices would spot the forgeries, or care to. And this makes the justification for all this mute. But if it were really about keeping taps on the US citizenry. Then I guess it’s just what the dictator ordered.

  24. Glenn E. says:

    Ya know, one of the reason I detested Sarah Palin, was that she was always sporting a stupid smile in public. And during her Tv interviews, regardless of the topic. No issue was too serious for she not to bare a stupid grin thru. I don’t trust anyone who can smile and talk at the same time. Would she show up on Facial Recognition Software?

    Yeah, let’s run another ever smiling fashion plate candidate as US VP, next time. Lord knows, no actual law degree is required. It might get in the way of some more Cheney like decisions.


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