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Facial recognition
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Chinese cities target facial recognition to curb abuse of personal data

  • Tianjin introduced a new policy which prohibits private and state-owned organisations as well as business groups from collecting biometric data
  • Nanjing, the capital of China’s eastern Jiangsu province, has ordered property agents to remove facial recognition systems from their sales offices

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A subway turnstile equipped with a facial recognition payment system in Zhengzhou, central China's Henan Province. Photo: Xinhua
Tracy Quin Hong KongandYujie Xuein Shenzhen

Several Chinese cities have moved to tighten regulations on the use of facial recognition personal data in line with stricter laws being introduced by the central government to limit the abuse of personal data collection.

Tianjin, one of China’s four municipalities, passed its Municipal Social Credit Regulation on Tuesday, which prohibits private and state-owned companies, industry associations and chambers of commerce from collecting biometric data, including facial recognition information, and using it as social credit information.

Separately Nanjing, the capital of China’s eastern Jiangsu province, has ordered property agents to remove facial recognition systems from their sales offices, according to a report by state broadcaster CCTV on Thursday.

The move follows local media reports that some property developers were installing video surveillance systems in sales offices to collect facial recognition data from potential homebuyers without their permission.

The Nanjing Real Estate Management Bureau did not immediately respond to a phone call seeking confirmation.

These steps by local governments are in line with China’s tightening regulations for personal information collection introduced over the past few months. The draft version of a personal information protection law was introduced in October, while the scope of personal information gathered by live-streaming and short video-sharing services will be strictly limited, according to new rules introduced by Beijing on Tuesday.
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