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China screening subway riders with facial recognition technology

Passengers are required to link their identification to their photos using a mobile phone application or station kiosk.

October 31, 2018
China screening subway riders with facial recognition technology

East Concourse of Guangzhou South Railway station. WikimediaCommons-Baycrest

1 min to read


GUANGZHOU, China — The city of Guangzhou, China introduced facial recognition technology for security screening at four subway stations — a first for the county, reported Inkstone.

To use the facial recognition system, passengers are required to link their identification to their photos using a mobile phone application or a station kiosk, the report said.

Commuters with a “good travel record” are promised a faster security check process, but critics say the security measures serve to bolster China’s extensive surveillance of its citizens and are prone to abuse, according to Inkstone.

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