Your face is your ticket: a creepy convenience

你的脸就是一张通行证：一种令人骇然的便利

（来源：外刊daily）

As facial-recognition access points crop up in more public places including airports and concert venues, you might be wondering how you're supposed to feel about it.

随着机场、音乐会等公共场所好像突然之间冒出许多面部识别机器点位，你可能很疑惑究竟该如何看待这个现象。

Companies implementing face-matching software tout speed, convenience, security and contactless benefits for customers.

使用面部识别软件的公司，会夸大其给客户带来的高效、便捷、安全以及非直接接触的好处。

Most also stress that it's only an option.

他们大多还会强调，这样其实也多了一种选择。

While the answer comes down to the individual, it helps if you know the company providing the service and the expected benefits: Do you want this firm storing your biometric information? Are you getting something useful in return?

虽然对这个问题的看法因人而异，但如果对提供这项服务的公司及预期的好处有所了解的话，一定会有所帮助。你希望这家公司存储你的生物特征信息吗？你是否会从中得到一些回报？

Facial recognition works by creating a map of your face.

面部识别的工作原理，就是创建一张你的面部地图。

The map contains your unique measurements—the distance between your forehead and chin, or between your eyes.

这张地图包含独属于你的生理测量数据，比如额头与下巴之间的距离、两眼之间的距离等。

These stats are then converted into code called a biometric token or faceprint.

之后，这些数据会转换为代码，被称作生物特征标志或面部指纹。

A company that stores your face data could keep it and pivot from venue admission to, say, law enforcement, or be acquired by a company that has an entirely different purpose than what you agreed to.

存有你面部数据信息的公司，可能会保留这些数据，并从场馆准入转向执法等其他用途，或者整个公司在被收购之后，新公司使用这些数据的方式，并不符合你的意愿。

This kind of misuse is largely hypothetical.

这种滥用很大程度上还是一种假设。

However, you can't always track where your face ends up: One company sold facial-recognition tech based on billions of images scraped from Facebook, LinkedIn and other sources.

但你没法一直追踪自己的面部信息会用在哪里。有家公司出售面部识别技术，其技术基础是从脸书、领英及其他来源搜集到的数十亿张图像。

Face scanning will only become more prevalent in our travels and entertainment, as well as other areas such as education, banking and law enforcement.

在旅行、娱乐，以及教育、银行、执法等其他领域，面部识别只会越来越普及。

We've just begun to understand the pros and cons.

而我们却才刚刚开始了解到其中的利与弊。

（编辑：何晓玙）