Detecting and Flagging Likely Confidential Content in Photographs to Prevent Automated Dissemination

• US 20150161483A1
• Filed: 12/10/2013
• Published: 06/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Corp.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Allen, Corville O., Carrier, Scott R., Woods, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 9,111,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/16 Human faces, e.g. facial parts, sketches or expressions

Abstract

Automatic distribution of image data, such as a digital photographs, is prevented or delayed if the photograph is determined to likely contain confidential data. Online photo streaming services, albums, social media accounts, and backup services can be a source of inadvertent disclosure of confidential information due to these automatic dissemination functions of modern photo capturing devices. Detection criteria to trigger the blocking of dissemination may include recognition of faces of co-workers and clients, recognition of business furnishings such as whiteboards and conference room equipment, as well as geotags where the image was captured, the time, day of week, and date at which it was captured, and network identifiers associated with the network on which the capturing device is connected.

Claims

1. An automated method for preventing automatic distribution of a digital photograph that likely contains confidential information to a remote destination location comprising:

analyzing by a processor a digital photograph using one or more detection processes which screen for potentially confidential information based on one or more criteria;

adjusting by a processor a likelihood score responsive to detection of one or more criteria associated with potentially confidential information;

responsive to one or more likelihood score thresholds, declaring by a processor the digital photograph as likely containing confidential information; and

preventing by a processor automatic distribution of the digital photograph.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the adjusting comprises:

increasing a likelihood score responsive to detection of criteria associated with potentially confidential information; and

decreasing the likelihood score responsive to detection of criteria associated with non-confidential information.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the one or more detection processes comprises a facial recognition process, and wherein recognition of faces associated with confidential information in the data item causes increasing of the score.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the one or more detection processes comprises a business-related objects recognition process, and wherein recognition of business-related objects in the data item causes increasing of the score.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5 wherein the business-related object comprises one or more objects selected from the group consisting of a white board, a drawing board, a computer screen, and projected image, a conference room, conference room furniture, work space furnishings, a training room, training room furnishings, a government building, and a military building.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the one or more detection processes comprises an extrinsic criteria analysis process, and wherein detection of extrinsic criteria related to a business or work condition causes increasing of the score.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the business or work condition comprises one or more conditions selected from the group consisting of a time of day associated with a work day, a day of the week associated with a work week, a geo-location tag associated with the data item indicating a location of a business, a geo-location tag associated with the data item indicating a location of a government facility, a geo-location tag associated with the data item indicating a location of a military facility.

9. The method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the decreasing of the score is responsive to one or more detection processes results selected from the group consisting of recognition of faces associated with a user'"'"'s non-work social group, detection of a non-business-related object, detection of an extrinsic criteria related to a non-business or non-work condition, and finding a geo-location tag associated with the data item indicating a non-business location.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising, responsive to a threshold of the score being indeterminate, querying a user via a user interface for a declaration of confidentiality of the digital photograph.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the preventing further comprises a pre-defined action which is taken by default upon expiration of a period of waiting for a user response.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the pre-defined action comprises one or more actions selected from the group consisting of quarantining the digital photograph, deleting the digital photograph, and allowing the digital photograph to be distributed.

13. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the preventing comprises preventing distribution to one or more destinations selected from the group consisting of a digital photograph streaming service, an online photograph album account, a social media account, a social media page, and an online backup service.

4. The method as set forth in claim 4 wherein the associated faces are associated with one or more groups selected from the group consisting of co-workers, clients, sports figures, and entertainment celebrities.

14. A computer program product for preventing automatic distribution of a digital photograph that likely contains confidential information to a remote destination location comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable, tangible storage memory device; and

one or more program instructions embodied by the non-transitory computer readable, tangible storage memory device for causing a processor to perform operations comprising;

analyzing a digital photograph using one or more detection processes which screen for potentially confidential information based on one or more criteria;

adjusting a likelihood score responsive to detection of one or more criteria associated with potentially confidential information;

responsive to one or more likelihood score thresholds, declaring the digital photograph as likely containing confidential information; and

preventing automatic distribution of the digital photograph.

15. The computer program product as set forth in claim 14 wherein the adjusting comprises:

increasing a likelihood score responsive to detection of criteria associated with likely confidential information; and

decreasing the likelihood score responsive to detection of criteria associated with likely non-confidential information; and

the one or more detection processes comprises one or more processes selected from the group consisting of a facial recognition process, a business-related objects recognition process, and an extrinsic criteria analysis process.

16. The computer program product as set forth in claim 14 further comprising, responsive to a threshold of the score being indeterminate, querying a user via a user interface for a declaration of confidentiality of the digital photograph.

17. A system for preventing automatic distribution of a digital photograph that likely contains confidential information to a remote destination location comprising:

a processor for performing computational and logical operations;

a non-transitory computer readable, tangible storage memory device; and

one or more program instructions embodied by the memory device for causing the processor to perform operations comprising;

analyzing a digital photograph using one or more detection processes which screen for potentially confidential information based on one or more criteria;

adjusting a likelihood score responsive to detection of one or more criteria associated with potentially confidential information;

responsive to one or more likelihood score thresholds, declaring the digital photograph as likely containing confidential information; and

preventing automatic distribution of the digital photograph.

18. The system as set forth in claim 17 wherein the adjusting comprises:

increasing a likelihood score responsive to detection of criteria associated with likely confidential information; and

decreasing the likelihood score responsive to detection of criteria associated with likely non-confidential information; and

the one or more detection processes comprises one or more processes selected from the group consisting of a facial recognition process, a business-related objects recognition process, and an extrinsic criteria analysis process.

19. The system as set forth in claim 17 wherein the program code furthers comprises program instructions to, responsive to a threshold of the score being indeterminate, query a user via a user interface for a declaration of confidentiality of the digital photograph.