It is not to much? New security law in China

As of December this year, you will need to scan your face and transfer the image to a shared system to purchase a cell phone in China. This will apply to all 850 million people who now have access to the Internet and want a new phone.

This is done with a view to continuing the introduction of the face recognition system, which began several years ago in China. Of course, safety, faster capture of offenders and crime reduction are the primary goals, as the goal is to be able to identify any person based on their face, and national laws are issued to create such a database.

Similar examples can be found in Germany, where, from 2016, identity documents are required when applying for in-house telecommunications services. Similarly, in 2010, New York also required proof of identity in order to purchase a mobile phone with prepaid card.

As far as mobile phone services and phone purchases in my country Latvia, in principle a prepaid number and a SIM card can be purchased without any documentation at a wide range of outlets. Of course, a long-term contract will require a document, but it is usually used for data validation, not for saving that data purposes.

However, the example of China is much more stronger and serious, with one of the first countries to demand that face data be recorded directly. It is said that critics will find it difficult to challenge this law, as there is already a proven link between the data available and people's activities on the Internet. Which leads to the security aspect of being able to track potential threats, without ruling out the possibility of fighting self-harm as well.

China already has one of the most extensive face databases in the world, capable of recognizing a person with 90% accuracy in a matter of seconds. Needless to say, this is done by analyzing 1.3 billion people. Although this sounds frightening enough, and too direct an interference in each person's private space. An example is Alibaba's Alipay system, which reads face as confirmation. Likewise, Xiaozhu Room Reservation Service is working on a system that can open the rented space by recognizing the client's face. The fast food chain KFC wants to anticipate customer orders based on age and emotions read in the face.

To circumvent these cameras, protesters are already using face masks or painting them. But such systems also have more rational goals for society, such as enrolling students in college. Enhance policing by offering them special glasses or catching thieves at the border.

I personally prefer technology for practical purposes, and in my daily life I have come across the opportunity to try glasses through a camera built into a computer. We can not be sure for a moment that our face unlocked phones are no spying on us and sending information to someone.

Picture source: pexels.com