Adversarial Clothing Designed to Fool Facial Recognition Systems

There are many companies manufacturing adversarial clothing designed to confuse facial recognition systems.

It’s a cool idea, but I worry that it’s mostly security theater:

“Our patterns play with that chaos, confuse algorithms and make it way harder to pin you down,” he said.

Bell, however, said “none of these products are tried and tested, and a lot of these surveillance technologies can deal with a little resistance … [but] even if the designs don’t necessarily work perfectly, fashion is also a visible sign of resistance.

“This is consumers collectively coming together to make a visible statement.”

Without serious testing, there is no reason to trust the technology. And even with testing, there is no reason to trust that a new version of the facial recognition software doesn’t break the anti-surveillance properties.

I don’t want people to mistakenly rely on this stuff.

Tags: AI, face recognition, privacy, security theater, surveillance

Posted on August 6, 2026 at 7:04 AM • 12 Comments

Comments

Not really anonymous • August 6, 2026 7:43 AM

In the past people had success with computer vision dazzle makeup, but that was a relatively long time ago.

Rontea • August 6, 2026 8:26 AM

The age of machines now studies our faces more faithfully than our mothers ever did, and we, like children, hope that a jacket patterned with chaos might shield us from the omnipresent, dispassionate eye of the state.

Yet what is this if not a confession? A confession that man, once the image of God, now hides in the folds of fabric, pleading for a little privacy from his own creation. Fashion becomes our last philosophy—silk and stitches shouting what our spirits no longer have the courage to defend. These garments, absurd and majestic, are the new flags of a civilization that mistrusts itself. And perhaps, in that absurdity, there is still a faint, flickering dignity.

bart • August 6, 2026 8:31 AM

The pictures look about as ridiculous as I had imagined.

Not sure how they think wearing brightly colored flashy pants is going to defeat facial recognition.

And this also seems like the classic example of trying to hide making one more obvious. Like wearing full camo in a Walmart. We can still see you, and now we’re just looking for the guy in full camo.

Winter • August 6, 2026 9:14 AM

The idea is far from new.
https://starofmysore.com/back-to-front-human-face-masks-to-keep-tigers-at-bay/

Something like this using IR LEDs projecting onto your faces is also described in Fall, or Dodge in Hell by Neal Stephenson.

It will simply be an arms race. The moment a system is rolled out wide enough, people will find the holes in its recognition.

As the AI will not use human senses and human brains, it will classify faces different from humans. These differences can be exploited.

It can be out-of-spectrum patterns and messages, confusing clothing and print patterns, anything. If there is a hole, it will be found, and history tells us there will be holes.

Jim • August 6, 2026 9:17 AM

re: “There are many companies manufacturing adversarial clothing ”

Burkas? The kind with a narrow vert slit for the eyes.

That’s all that came to mind …

PS. My idea from years back has been to install scales/weighing mats at the entrances and exits of establishments. With the computing power we have today strain gauges (they are a thing used by mech engineers to measure mechanical flexure of structures) in a mat with in X by Y array of strain gauges could measure individual foot pressure/weight to ‘profile’ the entrance and departure of ‘guests’ and the like.

Snarki, child of Loki • August 6, 2026 9:18 AM

Everyone just has to wear a burka.

Jim • August 6, 2026 9:21 AM

Winter writes: “It will simply be an arms race. ”

I’m also thinking face paints, like football and baseball players use when they draw a dark line below their eyes to confuse the pitcher, other players, line umpires, coaches, fans et cetera.

r • August 6, 2026 10:34 AM

PSA:

https://www.aterio.io/insights/us-data-centers

i=2056;
z1=3976;

who do i talk to around here to get warrants on the previously quoted 2 million americans to AUGMENTED REALITY SANDBOX.

how many cores fit in 1m^3?

just got a call from downtown, no sound. always happens when i fire up tor i hope this gets out.

KC • August 6, 2026 11:01 AM

oh no.

of all things, it could be a place to hold a conversation. or initiate a spirited, or even a quietly thoughtful, debate. you could never know if you were truly hidden.

i don’t think i would be prepared to wear this. i would love to hear the chitter chatter though 🙂

fun privacy tee

My UZI Wants 2 Say Hello 2 U • August 6, 2026 12:49 PM

imagine the filth movin’ in next door 2 u and just poking around, constantly, sniffing, sniffing, endlessly sniffing – THERE IS NO Wi-Fi HERE S700P1D – AND GOOD LUCK TURNING ON my SIP for YOU WERE STILL DANGLING IN YR DADDY’S B@WLZ WHEN I WAS STUDYING SigInt and TEMPEST.

EFF1N Ay-dee-h0 GARBAGE……

Chris • August 6, 2026 1:52 PM

This might help explain why urbanites now wear Mossy Oak and Realtree apparel unironically. I say this somewhat jokingly because, surely, there must exist sets of baseline data from several hunting seasons worth of surveillance video of people walking around in photo-realistic camouflage. Anyone looking for a PhD topic?

Clive Robinson • August 6, 2026 3:25 PM

@ Bruce, ALL,

With regards,

“designed to confuse facial recognition systems.”

Can we please stop calling them,

“Facial recognition systems”

Because even the “street kids” know it’s not “faces” the systems follow.

It’s why they move in “tight groups”
or gangs and swap loose clothing around, or all ware near identical “puffer jackets” and the like. When they move they,

“mill and mix”

Along with the now very old,

“Ducking and diving”.

Because they know for now it’s not the AI they have to confuse but,

“The jury of peers”…

Which are still in theory “human”, not that, that is going to stand much longer in the UK… With the government enlarging “single justice” trials and the like. And increasing use if AI in the court and tribunal systems.

They claim it’s to “save money” or “save waste” and “shorten trial times”. The reality though is they want “conviction rates” to rise.

One recent scandal is putting people on “remand” and using the fact they will be “held in jail” for at least as long if not longer than any sentence they could receive at trial. Then then getting told they could be out in a very short time if the “just signed a XXX” etc that is made to sound like some minor agreement to not go somewhere or do something etc. In practice such a form is used as a confession etc,

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7FfK0JQ6e2w

That can haunt you for the rest of your life.

Schneier on Security

Adversarial Clothing Designed to Fool Facial Recognition Systems

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