Manifesto Collection (clothing for deceiving facial recognition systems)

2023: Product Announcement

In mid-January 2023, the Italian startup Cap_able launched its collection of clothes that cheat facial recognition systems. A clothing line called Manifesto Collection includes sweatshirts, trousers, T-shirts and dresses, the clothes confuse AI cameras and prevent them from recognizing the owner.

Each piece of clothing from the Cap_able is decorated with a pattern known as a "hostile patch," which was developed by AI algorithms to confuse real-time facial recognition software and protect the privacy of the owner. Patterns can be a physical obstacle in captured photographs or random photographs using algorithms. Computer vision models are trained in photographs, which are usually simple. The camera will either not be able to identify the owner in the Manifesto Collection, or will mistake him for one of the animals built into the pattern, including a zebra, giraffe, dog and others.

Manifesto Collection (clothing for deceiving facial recognition systems)

The fabric from the Manifesto Collection was tested using the You only look once (YOLO) service, the most common and fastest algorithm for real-time object detection systems. The method, patented by Cap_able, allows the owner to embed an algorithm in the fabric of clothes and still look stylish. Until January 2023, patches were printed only on clothes in the form of additions to the accessory.

"Choosing clothes is the first act of communication we do every day. A choice that can be a conduit for our values. In a world where data is the new oil, Cap_able addresses the issue of privacy, "says Cap_able CEO Rachelle Didero.

According to developers from Cap_able, these clothes are not only protection against AI cameras, but also a manifesto that is designed to stimulate a discussion about the importance of protecting against the misuse of facial recognition cameras. The purpose of the Manifesto Collection is to raise awareness of the right to privacy and the protection of biometric data, such as the image of a person's face. This issue, which is often not sufficiently covered, despite the fact that it affects the majority of citizens around the world in an era of active digitalization.

Prices for clothing from the Manifesto Collection start at about $250. Clothing is available for purchase and pre-order in the official Cap_able online store.^[1]

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