Rejoice! We may no longer need to remember countless passwords and numerical codes when doing our online shopping if Amazon has anything to do with it, as the online retail giant has announced it is applying for a patent to enable 'selfies' to be used in the place of passwords for customers shopping on their smartphones.
You may be thinking, but hang about, couldn't I just go on Kim Kardashian's Instagram account and screengrab a photo to have accesses to her Amazon basket (IMAGINE!!) . Alas, it won't be that easy because the company states that the combination of sensor and camera capabilities in smartphones' face-recognising technology offer more security than passwords.
A spokesperson for Amazon explained it thus: 'The device can prompt the user to perform certain actions, motions or gestures, such as to smile, blink or tilt their head'.
It heralds a brave new world for digital shopping as retailers compete to make the process as easy and user-friendly as possible.
If the patent is granted, cyber security chiefs have a warning however and want Amazon to ensure that the system should incorporate lots of additional security layers to prevent identity theft.
Although the 'live' element of Amazon's plan should eliminate such risk.
Strike a pose!
