If you think that having your picture casually taken by a camera was harmless (short of getting your face Photoshopped, then prepare for a surprise, a new augmented reality application will enable mobile phone users to identify people through digital images.

Now, this new technology is nowhere near as accurate or as reliable as the facial recognition software that is being used by government agencies, and the image databank accessible to the new app is hardly anything worth worrying about. But, provided that you sign in for the optional service, it would be quite easy to be identified through images.

The new app is called Recognizr which uses uploaded images on Facebook as the main source of comparison. While the app does not access the greater scope of the internet, it is quite possible to expand the capabilities to that degree.

Anyway, this app will certainly get a lot people concerned about security and privacy due to the fact that it can easily be used as a tool for stalking and other less than desirable functions.

The developers of this app certainly have a lot to face if ever the function goes commercial. Augmented reality apps already have plenty of security issues since they can be used to identify owners of houses, buildings, and even transportation vehicles.

In any case, this new app comes from Swedish developers, the Astonishing Tribe. While they have not explained why they came up with the app in the first place, we certainly question as to whether people will really accept having this app available to the public. Most folks would certainly want it on their phones, but never to be used on their selves.

If you want to know more about this privacy invading application and would like to see what it can do, go to Pocket Lint.