On August 8,New Folder (2014) China’s cyberspace regulator announced the release of draft regulations aimed at overseeing the security management of facial recognition technology within the country. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the country’s internet watchdog, is actively seeking public opinion regarding these draft regulations. According to the CAC, the use of facial recognition technology should be restricted to specific purposes where there is a genuine necessity and stringent protective measures must be implemented. Prior consent from individuals is essential before using facial recognition technology, and non-biometric identification solutions should be preferred over facial recognition when equally effective non-biometric measures are available, as stated in the CAC’s statement. Biometric identification, particularly facial recognition, has become widely used in various scenarios in China, including entrance control, online payment, and personal identity verification. [CAC statement, in Chinese]
