Cyberspace regulator seeks public opinions on facial technology security

A draft regulation on managing facial recognition technology application security began to solicit public opinions on Tuesday, in an effort to better protect personal information and maintain public security.

The 25-article draft was made by the Cyberspace Administration of China, the country's top internet and cyberspace regulator, and has been published on its official website.

Residents are not only allowed to provide their suggestion about the draft through websites - www.moj.gov.cn or www.chinalaw.gov.cn, but also can send their ideas through postal or e-mail, according to the administration.

The deadline for opinion collection is Sept 7.

The administration said that formulating such a regulation is to implement the Cybersecurity Law, the Data Security Law and the Personal Information Protection Law.

The draft clarifies that hotels, banks, stations, airports, sports venues, exhibition halls, museums, art galleries, libraries and other business places, should not force, mislead, coerce or threaten individuals to accept face-scanning technology to verify their identities, on the grounds of handling business or improving service quality, unless the current laws or administrative rules have already required the use of such technology.

It also states that community management departments should make other options available for residents to provide their identities and grant them entry if they decline to use a facial recognition system.

Facial recognition has been widely applied in areas such as public transportation and security management, but it has also made some people worried about their privacy due to its easy abuse.

Responding to the public concerns, Chinese authorities have taken actions in recent years. For example, the Supreme People's Court, the country's top court, issued a judicial document in 2021, calling for the prudent application of the technology, so as to provide stronger protection for people's privacy.

The judicial document stipulates that shops installing face-scanning systems to gather consumers' data without getting their permission, or software operators forcing users to give their facial information, will be seen as violation.

caoyin@chinadaily.com.cn