IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE, METHOD, AND PROGRAM

To prevent detection of facial images for whom detection is unnecessary, without reducing the detection ratio of registered players from facial images.An image acquisition unit acquires an image taken by a camera, and provides the image to a masking process unit. The masking process unit reads a masking pattern that has already been adjusted by a masking pattern adjustment unit and a movable masking area setting unit so that characteristic quantities of a facial image that does not need to be recognized as a facial image cannot be detected, from a masking pattern recording unit. A masking process is applied to the image provided, and the masked image is provided to a facial image extraction unit. The facial image extraction unit extracts a rectangular shaped facial image, and provides the facial image to a transmission unit. The transmission unit transmits the rectangular facial image provided to a face recognition server.