Following public concerns about the overuse of the technology, the cyberspace regulator in China announced on Tuesday that it has published draft regulations to oversee the security management of the technology there.
According to the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), facial recognition technology can only be used to process facial information when there is a clear purpose, a compelling need, and stringent security precautions.
The CAC stated in a statement that the use of the technology will also require individual consent. In situations where non-biometric identification options are equally effective as facial recognition, it was added, the latter should be preferred.
In China, facial recognition and other forms of biometric identification are becoming increasingly common. Local media revealed in 2020 that toilet roll dispensers in public restrooms were activated using facial recognition, which at the time raised both public and regulatory concerns.
According to the South China Morning Post, numerous Chinese courts and local governments have since ruled against and fined businesses for using facial recognition technology excessively.
In the CAC’s draft rules published on Tuesday, it was stated that image-capturing and personal identification equipment should not be installed in hotel rooms, public restrooms, locker rooms, toilets, or other locations that might invade the privacy of others.
The regulator also stated that image-capture devices should only be installed in public areas for public safety purposes, and they should be accompanied by clear warning signs.
Beijing has been working to tighten data regulation by releasing a number of rules and laws, including the draft rules. The Personal Information Protection Law, China’s first law aimed at protecting user privacy, was passed in 2021 in an effort to stop businesses from abusing excessive amounts of user data.
