Self‑Image Bias Breaks Photo ID

People systematically prefer and recognize an attractively enhanced version of their own face, meaning self‑identification tasks (lineups, social verification, some forensic procedures) can be biased toward idealized images rather than true likenesses. This cognitive bias could undermine face‑based authentication, mislead eyewitness procedures, and reshape how identity verification systems are designed. — If common ID or verification procedures assume accurate self‑recognition, this bias has legal, security, and platform‑policy implications for face recognition, age‑checks, and forensic practice.