A method to determine whether to perform recognition on an image or a video. The method includes detecting a person in an image or a video by determining a person image region that corresponds to boundaries of the person or a face image region that corresponds to a position of a face of the person. The method further includes analyzing pixel values that correspond to the boundaries of the person or the position of the face of the person to generate a recognition avoidance signal. The method further includes determining whether the recognition avoidance signal indicates that an action was taken to discourage recognition of the person. The method further includes responsive to the recognition avoidance signal indicating that the action was taken to discourage recognition of the person, declining to perform recognition of the person.