China’s Alipay will add beauty filters when you pay with your face
We all know how startling it can be to accidentally open a front-facing camera and find your own unassuming face looking back at you. Now, imagine if you saw that image every time you made a purchase. In China, Alibaba’s e-wallet affiliate Alipay will soon add beauty filters when you pay with its facial recognition system.
The change comes shortly after a Sina Technology poll found that 60 percent of respondents think next-gen payment systems make them look ugly. According to TechCrunch, Alipay announced the update on Weibo (July 11, 2019), and the company plans to bring the feature to retail stores within a week.
Some might worry about living in a world where we’re constantly being digitally altered. Others might have qualms about our obsession with beauty and looking good in photos. But the filters might appeal to anyone who’s ever taken a bad passport or license photo. Beauty filters could also give companies an advantage. If you have the option to make an early morning coffee run to a store that will filter away your sleep deprivation, there’s a chance you’ll opt for that. Regardless of where you stand, the growing popularity of filters is undeniable.
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