PimEyes: A Reverse Image Search and Facial Recognition Engine 85

PimEyes is a reverse image search and facial recognition search engine. Upload a clear photo of a face, and it will search public pages such as news sites, blogs, and wedding photography pages for images containing the same or similar faces, and provide the links to the pages where those images are found. You can use it in everyday life to see how your photos are being spread online. If your photos are being misused, it can also help you protect your rights, or help you keep an eye on your online image and make sure nothing goes wrong. The official site says the system can search across many sites in about 4 seconds. However, the free version only lets you see a portion of the images it finds. To see the original page links or more results, you need to pay for a subscription. In addition, it can send you email alerts when new matching images are found, and it can also help you "draft takedown notices to websites on your behalf." Controversy has always existed over whether PimEyes's collection of facial data is legal.

Main Things PimEyes Can Do

• Find faces: Uses algorithms to compare the photo you upload with publicly available images online to find ones that look like a match.

• Monitor for new images: After subscribing to a premium service, you can enable a feature called "PROtect," which notifies you whenever new images are found.

• Check copyright: Photographers, media professionals, or brand owners can use it to check whether their photos or work have been used without permission.

• Protect privacy: You can apply to have images you don't want to appear in search results removed.

Common Use Cases for PimEyes

• Managing your own photos: If you find that someone has posted your photos online without authorization, such as unauthorized sharing, old photos resurfacing, or the use of materials that shouldn't be used, you can turn on new image alerts and keep monitoring for new ones. If you have already found images you don't want to see, you can have the platform draft a takedown notice on your behalf, using rules like DMCA and GDPR to request that websites remove them.

• Media research: Journalists or investigators, if they have obtained the subject's consent or have legitimate reasons, can use it to identify people in public settings, verify where materials came from, and help investigate the truth of a matter or find story leads (however, the platform will not directly tell you who the person is — you'll need to combine it with other public information to make your own judgment).

• Brand copyright protection: Photographers, stock image companies, and brand owners can use it to check whether their photos or work have been used without permission. After finding an image, they can identify which page it's on and then take action to have the site remove it. If you're worried your images will continue to be used, you can also turn on alerts to keep monitoring.

• In-house corporate checks: If a company has obtained clear consent and complies with regulations, it can use this tool to check whether employee photos are being used appropriately, or whether its outward-facing materials contain someone else's face, so as to avoid accidentally using someone else's photo in ads or PR materials.

• Research and teaching (must comply with regulations): When conducting academic research or teaching on topics such as the impact of facial recognition technology and online image management, it can be used for compliant research. However, if minors, sensitive populations, or information that can directly identify a person is involved, you must first obtain their explicit consent, and you must remove any information that could identify them, keeping only the minimum necessary.

PimEyes Pricing

• Free: Can perform searches, but results are limited.

• Open Plus: Lets you see full results and log into an account, around $14.99 per month.

• PROtect: Includes new image alerts and assistance with image takedowns, around $29.99 per month.

• Advanced PRO: Includes advanced filters, API access, and prioritized image searches, around $99.99 per month.

Using PimEyes

To use it, first register an account on its official website, then upload a clear, front-facing photo (ideally high-resolution with nothing obstructing the face). Click "Start/Search" to begin, and after a moment you'll see some potentially related images and links. The free version only shows a rough preview. If you want to see original page links, more images, or use features like new image alerts and takedown notices, you'll need to subscribe to an appropriate plan. You can also turn on new image alerts to receive email notifications whenever new matching images are found.