Alibaba Launches Free App That Uses Selfies To Protect Your Smartphone Data

One of the most secure ways to protect your smartphone data just arrived in India, courtesy of Alibaba. The e-commerce giant has launched a free app that uses selfies to lock your information and apps #biomagic

Called Privacy Knight, the app uses face lock and blink detection with an algorithm that should ensure “99.47% accuracy for face recognition.” Instead of remembering pin codes and patterns, users simply have to take a one-second selfie to unlock their most used apps. “Face lock is set to change the way people protect their privacy,” said Ebrahim Popat, country manager of 9Apps (an Android marketplace within Alibaba Mobile Business Group). “It’s the next big thing after fingerprint lock. The age of face lock is here.”

How can face recognition be safer than fingerprint or iris authentication? Well, the Alibaba’s app is accessible offline, so users don’t have to upload information about themselves, keeping away from hackers. The app also offers app lock, vault, clean, themes, intruder selfie, fake cover, and fake icon. Besides, when users are in poor light environments, they can easily switch to fingerprint authentication of the classic pincode/pattern. 

As smartphones become the new credit cards, financial security and payment will be of utmost importance, thus Alibaba’s implication in the matter.