Censor faces in video: A guide for content creators

Nov 22, 2024

We’ve all come to love the little interview or testimonial-style videos on TikTok and Reels where a presenter stops people at the mall and asks all the right questions, be it funny or serious topics. If you’re interested in producing this kind of video for your social media channels, or you’re simply adventurous enough to film in crowded places like the town square, we’re cheering you on in the front row! But right before you do that… have you ever wondered if you should censor faces in videos? Stick around to learn more about how to blur faces in videos and why sometimes it’s crucial to do so.

We’ve all come to love the little interview or testimonial-style videos on TikTok and Reels where a presenter stops people at the mall and asks all the right questions, be it funny or serious topics. If you’re interested in producing this kind of video for your social media channels, or you’re simply adventurous enough to film in crowded places like the town square, we’re cheering you on in the front row! But right before you do that… have you ever wondered if you should censor faces in videos? Stick around to learn more about how to blur faces in videos and why sometimes it’s crucial to do so. 

Why should you blur faces in videos?

As you’re creating content, video face blur might not be one of your top priorities. However, when filming in certain spaces and places, you need to be mindful of others as well, so here are a couple of reasons why you should censor faces in your videos:

The HIPAA privacy law in the US, as well as the GDPR regulations that are enforced in Europe don’t cut any corners and are highly specific by requiring you to ensure that each individual has the right to decide whether their identity is concealed or not. NDAs also fall under the same umbrella, so you’ll definitely need to rely on a specialized tool to blur faces in videos.

The moral perspective

Using a video face blur in some cases is a matter of respect. Especially when you’re filming in public spaces, you might be tempted to use footage that features crowds. This is frowned upon from a morality standpoint because none of those individuals could express their consent to being filmed in the absence of a notice and, quite literally, a consent form. It’s about being a kind human being.

Special cases 

This special use case applies to interviews, documentaries, and even generic content, making it the creator’s responsibility to protect the identity of vulnerable people such as minors, bullying victims, or even witnesses with direct involvement in more serious issues. 

It might be difficult to blur moving faces in videos, particularly when you’re in a crowded space. This task would take a lot of effort on your side, so we’re giving you a solution that teaches you how to blur faces in videos automatically through motion detection instead of doing everything manually, face by face, for hours on end.

How to blur faces in videos: a short guide

Learning how to blur faces in videos doesn’t have to be a long, overwhelming process that comes with a big price tag for expensive, professional software. You can blur faces in video online for free with Flixier, a web-based video editor that packs this handy face censorship feature all creators need to master. Let’s walk through all the steps you need to take to censor faces in videos:

1.    Power up Flixier and bring your video over

Simply pop open a browser tab and type flixier.com. Then click the Start Editing button, and you’re in! Within the editing interface, head to the top left corner and tap the Import button to effortlessly bring over your videos from your computer, smartphone, cloud storage, or even external links. 

2.    Get to editing

You can explore hundreds of video editing tools to help you step up your digital presence. From colorful filters to smooth or dynamic transitions, all the way to animated motion titles or AI-powered text-to-speech voiceover narrations, experiment with handy features that will make your video stand out from the crowd.

3.    Blur face in video

To blur the face in a video, go to the Shape tab, select the Square Mask option, and pick Blur in the pop-up menu. Once the mask shows up on your screen, you can resize it by dragging on its edges. Adjust its length by dragging the mask edges in the timeline sections to make sure it appears and disappears at the right time.

4.    Blur moving faces in videos

To blur moving faces in videos, head to the Properties menu in the Video tab and locate the Motion Tracking feature. Choose the Face Detection tracking type, then click on Analyze Video. After AI finishes analyzing your video, you need to select an object to link from the following options: a blur mask, pixelate mask, or basic text. Now, use the real-time previews in the canvas and timeline sections to see how your blur mask will accurately follow the corresponding face, concealing your subject’s identity throughout the video.

5.    Export and share to social media

Once you’re satisfied with all the edits you’ve made, tap the Export button and select the Video format for your project. You can also automatically publish it to your YouTube channel, TikTok feed, or more as you connect your social media accounts. 

Whenever video editing feels a bit like too much, and you’re overwhelmed, remember to take a break. After all, having fun is a crucial component in the process of creating content! Using a tool like Flixier to blur faces in videos and make scroll-stopping edits is just one of the many fun activities you can do as part of your projects, whether you’re shooting impromptu interviews at the mall or DIYing in your own little filming studio.

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