Making waves in the news nowadays are posts warning against posing with a peace sign. To be fair, this isn’t entirely new information. A decade ago, the danger of showing hands, potentially our fingerprints, in pictures made headlines. It recently gained traction again thanks to a Chinese TV show that demonstrated how easy it is to get a celebrity’s fingerprint data from a selfie with a peace sign pose. Should we reconsider this as a cause for concern?
History of the sign
Stories claim that raising your middle and index fingers with your palm facing inward was once considered an insulting gesture before it became the symbol of V for victory. This changed when the UK’s ex-Prime Minister Winston Churchill did the gesture in 1941 to signal victory. Culture, time, and other factors shaped how it evolved to mean peace rather than one person, race, or event. Eventually, it was said that Vietnam also used this sign as a call to end the war, while American hippies converted it to a more general peace sign during the Woodstock Music Festival. No matter how it came to be, the peace sign transcended generations and is still one of the popular poses people do when taking photos and selfies. The question is, what harm can it do?
Risk and expert opinion
Financial expert Li Chang warned that fingerprints could potentially be extracted from selfies taken within 1.5 meters if fingers are faced directly at the camera. Thanks to the advancements in technology today, taking HD photos and videos has become the new norm. AI and modern photography tools can instantly enhance even blurry photos. With these resources, scammers can exploit an individual’s fingerprint to commit identity theft.
Justin Cappos, New York University professor and cybersecurity expert, admitted that it is possible for fingerprints to be extracted from a photo, but mentioned that the risk is low for the average person. It would still take time, effort, and tools to truly lift off a fingerprint from only a photo on screen. However, since biometrics run our usual routines now with the likes of face IDs, smart door locks, and online banking, it’s scary how one photo can lead to a breach of security. It’s always better to err on the side of caution, as they say. For peace of mind, maybe we can do with fewer peace signs online and be more creative with our poses.
YouTube: A peace sign in selfies is exposing your fingerprints to cyber criminals.
By clicking play, you agree to YouTube's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Data may be shared with YouTube/Google.
Photo credit: The feature image is symbolic and has been done by Dayne Topkin.
Sources: Mike Wehner (New York Post) / Zoey Zhang (South China Morning Post) / Jonny Walfisz (euronews) / Elizabeth Yuko (History) / Lauren Fichten (CBS News)
