Experimental Feature Pushes Google's Arts & Culture App to the Top of the Free Apps Chart

[MacRumors]

Google's Arts & Culture app rocketed to the top of the free app charts over the weekend after one of its experimental interactive features went viral.

Better known for its relatively staid virtual history exhibitions and digitized artworks, the app's sudden popularity is down to the addition of an option near the bottom of its scrolling interface which asks users, "Is your portrait in a museum?"

On tapping the button, the app asks for access to the device's camera and then prompts the user to take a selfie. Their picture is then compared against thousands of digitized artworks in Google's historical database using facial recognition technology, after which a series of closest matches are returned.

Hey good morning everyone, this Google Arts and Culture app is scary. pic.twitter.com/yt2kSYMWyM - Ding Dong Daddi (@sixthsentz) January 13, 2018

The find-your-art-lookalike feature, which was actually added to the app in a December update with little fanfare, apparently drew interest only recently after some users and celebrities began sharing their results on social media.

The option only appears to be available to U.S. users at the moment, but if you'd like to give it a go, you can download the free Google Arts & Culture app from the App Store.

Article Link: Experimental Feature Pushes Google's Arts & Culture App to the Top of the Free Apps Chart

 

[mactheknife2018]

US only. Lots of confused European users downloading the APP and searching for the feature.. Come on Google.

 

[daanodinot]

US only/first, as is 99% in tech.

 

[tito2020]

you so that in college guys befire you get married lol

 

[MacTiki]

There is no free lunch.

Just another method for a giant tech company such as Google to acquire more data about its users under the pretense of offering something for free.

Some cultures believe/believed that having their photo taken would capture their soul. Maybe they were on to something.

 

[TheCoolGuy]

Google needs all our faces for its next pixel phone’s Face ID testing..

 

[RightMACatU]

Free? Not really! Read their Privacy statement carefully... I removed it right away.

 

[guzhogi]

Can't find it, and I'm in the Chicago area.

 

[KazKam]

If they didn't already have your profile photo, just one more tidbit added to your Google dossier. Well played Google.

 

[unobtainium]

Google knows human narcissism knows no bounds.

 

[Rcbooth14]

Can't find it, and I'm in the Chicago area.

Same here! I thought I was going crazy.

 

[Blakjack]

Downloaded, tried the feature then deleted.

 

[iPhD]

Free? Not really! Read their Privacy statement carefully... I removed it right away.

Can you provide a link to the privacy statement you refer to? I'm not doubting your motivation or questioning your choice. I honestly cannot find a statement at the google arts & culture page. Is this privacy policy in the app itself?

 

[UL2RA]

Downloaded, tried the feature then deleted.

Google got all the data they needed then.

 

[digidow]

If you live in Illinois or Texas no dice for you.

https://www.elitedaily.com/p/why-ca...p-its-only-available-in-certain-areas-7925255

 

[macduke]

Apparently I'm going to look like Sam Houston in about 20 years.



You know what? I'll take it.

 

[ErikGrim]

Also the lowest rating for all regions where the feature isn’t enabled. Lots of pissed users.

 

[JaredFromHawaii]

Would be cool if someone made an app to find Doppelgängers... match us up with actual people

 

[murdoc2k]

Dang, google always have new ways of mining some form of data out of us. This is very scary. I got freaked out when a friend of mine told me google glasses apparently is capable of translating via audio on the fly and displaying it in english on screen, which can be used as a tool to evesdrop on other people. He says it's cool. I say it's down right creepy.

This is why I continue to support Apple. Privacy matters!

 

[kdarling]

Dang, google always have new ways of mining some form of data out of us. This is very scary. I got freaked out when a friend of mine told me google glasses apparently is capable of translating via audio on the fly and displaying it in english on screen, which can be used as a tool to evesdrop on other people. He says it's cool. I say it's down right creepy.

You can sit there with a smartphone in hand and do the same thing.

Or ... gasp! ... if you already know the language, you can listen in as well.

Some of you should never come out to the real world. Someone might recognize you!

 

[RightMACatU]

Can you provide a link to the privacy statement you refer to? I'm not doubting your motivation or questioning your choice. I honestly cannot find a statement at the google arts & culture page. Is this privacy policy in the app itself?

I had to install the App on iPhone before being able to access privacy information.

 

[Blakjack]

Google got all the data they needed then.

Don’t sell drugs, don’t have sex with kids, don’t commit fraud, don’t become a terrorist, don’t be a secret racist, if you’re gay, don’t try and hide it......if your secretly watching me via my macs front facing camera you can see I’m browsing the web buck naked right now. I could care less what Google has.

 

[MacTiki]

Don’t sell drugs, don’t have sex with kids, don’t commit fraud, don’t become a terrorist, don’t be a secret racist, if you’re gay, don’t try and hide it......if your secretly watching me via my macs front facing camera you can see I’m browsing the web buck naked right now. I could care less what Google has.

To imply that ones desire for privacy must revolve around malicious and criminal activity or that a persons desire or need to withhold their orientation is not their choice is troubling at best.

Blakjack if you like the idea of not having any privacy then you are going to love ID 2020.

http://id2020.org/

02:31 into the video below has me wondering if they plan on chipping people.

The narrator starts out saying it’s for the 1.2 billion undocumented people then near the end of the video the narrator says it is for all.

The movie “Logan’s Run” circa 1976 showed a world, 300 years into the future, who’s citizens were chipped. It did not end well for them.

 

[UL2RA]

To imply that ones desire for privacy must revolve around malicious and criminal activity or that a persons desire or need to withhold their orientation is not their choice is troubling at best.

I don't understand that mindset either, but to each their own.