Some say emojis are taking over the world. If that wasn’t scary enough, they might be in charge of your bank account soon too.
A British software company has launched a new way of protecting an online bank account that utilises emoji.
Instead of using conventional passphrases or PINs, Intelligent Environments (IE) would rather you chose a combination of emojis.
The reasoning behind this is that while there are just ten numbers – 0 through 9 – there are 44 emojis, which equates to a much higher number of possible combinations.
While the scheme isn’t being rolled out any time soon, IE claims some digital banks have already expressed interest in the idea.
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IE has yet to patent the idea, with Webber telling the BBC: “I don’t think it’s patentable. But I do think we are the first people to have thought of it.”
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Using pictures instead of numbers is not without merit, as the human mind finds images and patterns easier to remember.
“Fundamentally, we are hard-wired to remember pictures,” explains Michael Tipper, a former memory champion, as quoted in the report.
Tipper reveals a possible flaw in the system however, which comes down to the laziness of individuals.
“If you’re presented with a screen of emojis and you can’t be bothered to remember a sequence you’re going to pick the ones in the four corners or the top row – and then you are left with an equally insecure technology,” he explained.
Would you be happy to ditch your bank password for a smiley face, or even a pile of poo? Let us know in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
