If you are concerned about your online privacy or have lost images that you want to recover, then PimEyes might be the solution for you. PimEyes is a powerful AI-powered facial recognition search engine that can help you find images of a specific person on the internet. In this article, we will take a closer look at PimEyes, how it works, and how you can use it.
What is PimEyes?
PimEyes is a reverse image search tool that focuses on facial recognition technology. Unlike other image search engines, PimEyes is designed to search for faces rather than photos. This makes it an ideal tool for those looking to find images of themselves online or for those who want to remain anonymous.
The service allows users to upload an image of a face into its search engine and provides search results in a matter of seconds. PimEyes is different from Clearview AI, which is only available to law enforcement and includes results from social media sites.
PimEyes only sources images from news articles, wedding photography pages, review sites, blogs, and pornography sites. Although most of the matches for the dozen journalists’ faces were correct, incorrect photos often came from pornography sites, which can be unsettling. PimEyes offers a more in-depth search option for subscribers to its monthly package.
The original photo used to do an image search on PimEyes, left, and just a few of its results for the author, Kashmir Hill.Credit: The New York Times
How PimEyes can help you?
This face finder tool empowers you to discover where an image appears online, providing you with greater control over your online presence and privacy. The facial recognition system allows for a search by image, which can prove incredibly useful in a variety of circumstances.
Whether you’re concerned about your personal privacy, or looking to conduct an audit of potential copyright infringement, PimEyes is the perfect solution. This innovative photo search engine is available to everyone, making it an incredibly useful tool for a range of purposes.
What are the benefits of using PimEyes?
PimEyes offers several features that make it a valuable tool for both personal and professional use. Some of its key features include:
Face search: PimEyes is designed to search for faces rather than photos, making it a more accurate search engine for finding images of a specific person.
Finding the source of your image: PimEyes can help you track down the source of your images, which is useful if your images are being used without your consent.
Exclude the image from public results: If you want to remove your image from public search results, PimEyes can help you do that.
How to use PimEyes?
Using PimEyes is a simple process:
Visit PimEyes website.
Upload an image of the face you want to search for.
Check the box to accept the terms of service.
Wait for the search to complete.
Review the results and take action if necessary.
According to Pimeyes privacy policy, they don’t store your photo. To perform further steps such as take-down requests, you must purchase a paid plan.
Pimeyes Paid Plans
PimEyes offers 3 different pricing plans:
Open Plus – $35.39/ mo
PROtect – $47.19/ mo
Advanced – $353.99/ mo
Let’s see what functionalities are available in each.
Main Functionalities Available for Subscribers
PimEyes offers a range of powerful tools and features to help you protect your image rights and stay informed about how your images are being used online. As a subscriber to PimEyes, you can take advantage of the following functionalities:
Instant Searches and Filters
With PimEyes, you can perform instant searches that return results within 2-3 seconds. The platform sorts the results by their resemblance to the searched photo and displays the ones that most resemble it at the top. However, you can find yourself in the middle or at the end of the list, but you can help yourself narrow down the results by using filters.
You can use the platform to search for any images, including those that might have been uploaded to a page on which they are difficult or impossible to find.
Link to the Source Image
By clicking the photo icon, you can get the link to the source image and display the original, unblurred photo. This information is important because it allows you to check if a given picture is still under that link. If it is, the website administrator hasn’t removed your photo.
If it’s not, you don’t have to worry anymore. This feature is especially useful when you want to remove a photo from a particular website because it is being used illegally and it violates your image rights.
PimEyes’ Alerts
PimEyes’ Alerts is a monitoring tool available in all the paid plans. With this feature, you can set an Alert and be notified about newly-found results containing your face. You can set up multiple Alerts, depending on your subscription plan. This feature allows you to stay informed about how your images are being used online.
PROtect Image
PROtect Image is a service available only to PROtect subscribers. With PROtect Image, PimEyes uses your photo to create a model picture and find results containing your face to exclude them from being displayed in the publicly available searches.
You can set only one PROtect Image for your account. This feature works similarly to the Alerts, but the results of searching by PROtect Image are available only to you. Additionally, right after you order the PROtect plan, PimEyes uses PROtect Image to exclude the results that have already been displayed in their search engine.
Takedown Requests
The Takedown Requests service is part of the PROtect plan. With this tool, you can order DMCA&GDPR Takedown Notices for the results found and hidden by the PROtect Image.
PimEyes finds the administrators of the websites where the unwanted images appear, drafts and sends multiple DMCA&GDPR Takedown Notices on your behalf, monitors if the photos have been removed, and reports the results of their interventions. Every month, PROtect subscribers have at their disposal 4 hours of professional services. On average, during this time, PimEyes sends about 80 Takedown Notices.
Search Filters
Search filters are available in the Advanced plan and they allow you to narrow the face-search and find photos you are looking for. You can find filters after clicking the button with a chain wheel icon on it. There are 5 main filters:
Time: filter by when the result appeared in PimEyes search results
Size: filter the results by image size
Language: filter by the language of the source website
Safe Search: hide the results recognized as “Adult content”
Domain filter: filter the results from only one domain or exclude results from particular domains
Deep Search
Deep Search is a feature available only for Advanced subscribers. This mechanism is used to search the index more thoroughly. Although it takes a little longer than a regular search, it can find more results with a given face.
Exporting Results to PDF or CSV
The feature of generating PDF or CSV files from the results is available only in the Advanced plan. You can use the black “Download” button to order exporting the results. Once you do, you will receive them in an email sent to the main address of your account. This feature is especially useful when you need to manage your results and compare them quickly.
Payment Options for PimEyes Subscription
PimEyes offers multiple payment options to suit your preferences and needs. You can choose from the following payment methods:
FastSpring: A secure and fast payment gateway that accepts various payment methods, including Credit and Debit Cards, PayPal, and Transaction Cloud.
PayPal: A popular online payment system that provides secure and convenient transactions.
Credit or Debit Card: You can use your card to purchase a subscription directly from PimEyes.
Do I Need to Purchase a PimEyes Subscription Every Month?
PimEyes subscriptions are available only on a subscription basis. However, you can opt to cancel your subscription at any time. If you purchase a subscription and wish to use it for only one month, you can cancel it before the billing period ends. You will still have access to the service until the end of the billing period.
Canceling Your PimEyes Subscription
To cancel your subscription, follow the steps below:
Go to your user’s panel.
Click on Settings.
Click on the “Payments” section.
Click on the “Orders & Subscriptions” button.
Click on the “Cancel subscription” button on the subscription you wish to cancel.
If you’re using a smartphone, follow these steps:
Click on the “My Account” button from the menu on our main page.
Open the menu again and click on the settings button at the bottom of the list.
Click on the “Payments” section.
Click on the “Orders & Subscriptions” button.
Click on the “Cancel subscription” button on the subscription you wish to cancel.
Please note that canceling your subscription does not imply removing your account. If you want to delete your Pimeyes account, follow the instructions provided on their website.
Is PimEyes safe to use?
While PimEyes can be a valuable tool for finding images online, it is important to use it responsibly. Facial recognition technology can be used for more sinister purposes such as stalking, so it is important to be mindful of how you use it. Additionally, PimEyes is not foolproof and may not be able to find all images of a specific person on the internet.
Pimeyes Alternatives (Both Free and Paid)
If you are looking for alternative face recognition tools to PimEyes, then here are some options you can consider:
Facial recognition technology has become increasingly popular in recent years. It is a system that can match a human face from a digital image or video frame against a database of faces. This technology is often used to authenticate users through ID verification services. It works by identifying and measuring facial features from a given image.
So, if you are in search of a reliable face recognition tool, you can try any of the options mentioned above.
In conclusion
PimEyes is a powerful tool that can help you find images of a specific person online. Its facial recognition technology sets it apart from other image search engines, making it a more accurate tool for finding images of a specific person. However, it is important to use PimEyes responsibly and to be mindful of its limitations.
David is a research scientist from the United Kingdom. With a keen interest in AI, he is always looking for new and innovative ways to apply the technology. When he's not working, he enjoys playing the guitar and composing his own music.
