For the start of 2018, new technology is a hot topic for many aspiring inventors. From virtual reality to facial recognition, there are many predictions that say the innovations in 2018 may alter how some live everyday life. For many, this new technology only means more glitches and hacks. However, numerous individuals need the latest gadgets. This brings up a big conflict for many Rochester Adams students looking for the latest technology.

Is facial recognition a good addition? Some may say it is because it is a fast and easy way to secure personal information, eliminating the need for passwords. However, it also is very easily manipulated by someone who looks like you or a sibling.

“I have facial recognition set up on the phone and my little sister is able to get in. This personally bugs me especially after the numerous sources said that the facial recognition was impossible to hack,” said sophomore Audrey Beach.

Many Rochester Adams students have siblings and twins, and if someone has a sibling who looks similar, it will be very easy to hack into information. This is especially conflicting if the information is social security numbers, addresses, and birth certificates. Individuals may not want their siblings on their phones or in their personal information.

Many hackers claim that they have cracked the facial identification on Apple’s iPhone X, days after the release. After executives from Apple said that the reliable software was cybercriminal safe, hackers around the world posted blogs and YouTube videos explaining how they got into the software.

“They had cracked Face ID with a composite mask of 3-D-printed plastic, silicone, makeup, and simple paper cutouts, which in combination tricked an iPhone X into unlocking,” said author of  “Hackers Say They’ve Broken Face ID a Week After iPhone X Release,” Andy Greenburg.

With all the accounts of facial recognition not being up to par, is it really the new best thing? Along with unlocking the phone, equipment in the iPhone X allows users to make deposits with “Apple Pay” which permits payment directly from the phone. This is an easy way to pay for everyday items. Buyers also pay with facial identification, but this may cause a problem if someone gets into accounts and wipes out all the information.

“According to Apple, the chance a random person can unlock your phone using their face is 1 in a million…But there is a caveat. If you have a twin, or know someone with a close genetic relationship with you, or you’re under the age of 13, Face ID authentication has a higher probability of being broken,” said author of “What is Face ID? Apple’s new facial recognition tech explained,”Michael deAgonia

With everything that face recognition software protects, it is not the most reliable technology. As this addition hits the market, more and more people are going to rely on it to protect their information. This may cause conflict if users rely on facial recognition. If everyone wants facial recognition software, there needs reliable security in order to ensure the customers safety.