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Privacy Filter in PIX4Dcloud

In this article you will learn what Privacy Filter is, how the AI-based blur works on faces and license plates in PIX4Dcloud, and how to activate and process a dataset with the feature.

IN THIS ARTICLE

What is Privacy Filter?
How Privacy Filter Works
AI-based blur process  
Processing a dataset with Privacy Filter

Licenses: This feature is optionally available for PIX4Dcloud Pro and above licenses. 

Roles: Owners, Managers, and Editors can process a dataset in PIX4Dcloud. 

What is Privacy Filter?

Privacy Filter is a feature that automatically blurs personally identifiable information (PII) captured in images, including faces and license plates, before generating reconstructions.
The feature supports both aerial and terrestrial imagery, making it suitable for datasets captured from drones, vehicles, handheld devices, or other terrestrial image acquisition methods, including PIX4Dcatch.

The feature is designed to help organizations protect personal data and support compliance with applicable data protection regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Privacy Filter is activated at the Organization level.

Note: Privacy Filter only applies to all datasets processed using PIX4Dcloud after the feature is activated. Images processed before Privacy Filter is activated are not blurred retroactively, and datasets processed using PIX4Dmatic, where uploaded via Share to PIX4Dcloud, will not be automatically anonymized. 

How Privacy Filter Works

When Privacy Filter is activated, the images uploaded for processing are automatically blurred after processing begins. Images will not be blurred if processing does not start, and may remain unblurred for some time after processing starts.

The blurred images are then used throughout the dataset for visual representations and downloads.

This includes:

  • Processed images: The images available for download are blurred.
  • Dataset thumbnails: Thumbnails displayed in the Timeline and on dataset cards are derived from the blurred images.
  • Processed outputs: Photogrammetric outputs are generated using the blurred images.

The blurring is performed as part of the dataset processing workflow, so no additional manual blurring step is required after processing.

Note: Once an image has been blurred, the blur cannot be undone or reversed. Consequently, it is no longer possible to download or retrieve the original, unblurred images. 

AI-based blur process

Privacy Filter is AI-based image analysis to detect and blur certain types of PII.

Privacy Filter requires additional processing time due to the AI-based image analysis required to detect and blur PII. The exact duration of the increase will vary depending on the size and type of the dataset being processed.

Because the detection and blurring process is AI-based, it is not expected to achieve a 100% detection rate in every image or scenario, and may include false positives, where image content in the immediate vicinity of blurred PII or irrelevant image content is unexpectedly blurred.

The average recall is:

  • 81% for drone images.
  • 63% for terrestrial images.
  • 72% overall.

Notes:

  • The success rate is an indicative value and may vary depending on factors such as image quality, object size, viewing angle, lighting conditions, and the type of imagery being processed.
  •  False positives can have a negative impact on reconstructions. Photogrammetric outputs are generated from the blurred images, so content that is blurred by mistake is also blurred in outputs. 

Disclaimer : Privacy Filter is a technical security measure (pseudonymization tool) designed to assist with risk reduction. Because AI-based detection relies on variable imagery conditions, it does not guarantee complete removal of Personal Identifiable Information (PII). The customer, as Data Controller under applicable laws (including GDPR), remains fully responsible for verifying dataset outputs and ensuring an appropriate legal basis (such as Legitimate Interest or Consent) exists for any remaining unblurred personal data.

For high-risk processing (e.g., terrestrial street-level mapping or low-altitude drone surveys over residential areas), customers must be advised to implement a manual spot-check step before publishing, sharing, or exporting photogrammetric outputs.

Processing a dataset with Privacy Filter

This section describes how to activate Privacy Filter at the organization level and how to process a dataset using the feature.

Privacy Filter is activated at the Organization level. To request activation, contact Sales and ask for Privacy Filter to be enabled for your organization. The Sales team will guide you through the necessary steps.

Before processing

Before capturing or uploading imagery for processing with Privacy Filter, review the best practices article to better understand the dataset capturing guidelines: Best practices for Privacy Filter.

Processing steps

  1. Request activation of the Privacy Filter feature for your organization by contacting Sales. Once the feature is activated at the organization level, it applies to datasets processed afterward.
  2. Create a dataset for processing:
    1. Via the PIX4Dcloud user interface: How to create and process a dataset in PIX4Dcloud
    2. Via PIX4Dcatch: Process in PIX4Dcloud
    3. Via PIX4Dmatic: Process in PIX4Dcloud
  3. Once processing is complete, review the dataset in the Editor viewer to verify the results: Editor viewer in PIX4Dcloud.