Pixelated or blurred photographs could be at risk of being unblurred as easily-accessible computer tools can successfully identify faces and information, a study has found.

Researchers at the University of Texas and Cornell University found that the practice of blurring sensitive information, such as faces or licence plate numbers, could soon be obsolete and completely insecure, as computers can now decode the images.

Using deep learning tools, the team was able to identify 71 per cent of faces and numbers, compared with a 0.2 per cent human success rate. This number raised to 83 per cent if the computer was allowed to guess five times.