MasterCard plans a rollout this summer in the U.S., U.K., and throughout Europe.
Finally, a legitimate reason for taking a selfie: MasterCard will reportedly begin accepting selfie photos and fingerprints as an alternative to online passwords.
MasterCard plans a rollout this summer in Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the U.K., and the U.S., according to the BBC, which the credit card firm hopes will cut down on potential fraud.
News of selfie pay first emerged last year, and it was tested in the U.S. and the Netherlands before today's annoucement.
MasterCard currently uses SecureCode, a program that allows participating merchants to verify the legitimacy of a purchase by asking cardholders to enter a supplemental PIN at the point of purchase.
The new function, however, is meant to simplify the process—especially for those forgetful users who can't remember their four-digit code. With selfie pay, consumers will still have to enter their credit card details when making an online purchase, according to the BBC.
But when additional authentication is required, the MasterCard app will ask users to look at their device's camera or use the fingerprint sensor instead of typing in a pin. Selfie takers must also blink into the camera to prove they are a living, breathing human being, and not just a photo, the BBC said.
The app then converts your face into an algorithm, which is compared with those stored in the company's database; your actual photo will not be saved in a directory. MasterCard did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment. Credit card rival Visa this week, meanwhile, introduced an Internet of Things solution: an expanded Visa Ready program for wearables, cars, appliances, public transportation, and clothing.
Initial partners include Accenture, Coin, Fit Pay, and Samsung, who will work with device manufacturers like Chronos and Pebble to embed secure payments into consumer devices. "By adding payments to these devices, we are turning virtually any Internet connection into a commerce experience—making secure payments seamless, and ultimately more accessible, to merchants and consumers," Jim McCarthy, executive vice president of Visa innovation and strategic partnerships, said in a statement.
The new function, however, is meant to simplify the process—especially for those forgetful users who can't remember their four-digit code. With selfie pay, consumers will still have to enter their credit card details when making an online purchase, according to the BBC.
But when additional authentication is required, the MasterCard app will ask users to look at their device's camera or use the fingerprint sensor instead of typing in a pin. Selfie takers must also blink into the camera to prove they are a living, breathing human being, and not just a photo, the BBC said.
The app then converts your face into an algorithm, which is compared with those stored in the company's database; your actual photo will not be saved in a directory. MasterCard did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment. Credit card rival Visa this week, meanwhile, introduced an Internet of Things solution: an expanded Visa Ready program for wearables, cars, appliances, public transportation, and clothing.
Initial partners include Accenture, Coin, Fit Pay, and Samsung, who will work with device manufacturers like Chronos and Pebble to embed secure payments into consumer devices. "By adding payments to these devices, we are turning virtually any Internet connection into a commerce experience—making secure payments seamless, and ultimately more accessible, to merchants and consumers," Jim McCarthy, executive vice president of Visa innovation and strategic partnerships, said in a statement.