China launches facial recognition for mobile phone users
- New regulation increases concerns that there are not sufficient safeguards in place to protect people’s personal information
- China does not have specific laws governing the use of facial recognition technologies
China on Sunday introduced a new rule that requires people to have their faces scanned when registering mobile phone services, as experts and even state media raised concerns there were not sufficient measures in place to safeguard people’s privacy.
Before the introduction of the new requirement, which was announced in September by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, people registering for mobile phone services had to provide only a copy of their identity card.
The ministry said the new measure would help to stem the resale of sim cards and protect people from unknowingly registering for phone services in the event of their identities being stolen.
Many online services and social media in China are tied to mobile phone numbers to ensure users are traceable.
Some people said online that telecom operators had begun insisting on face scans before the official launch.