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China bans compulsory facial recognition and its use in private spaces like hotel rooms
(www.theregister.com)
this post was submitted on 24 Mar 2025
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Why was there facial recognition, or any other sort of camera, in those places in the first place? Has something been mangled in the translation, is it a fuss about nothing, or were organisations genuinely going "hmm, we need to check your face before you can use the restrooms"?
Chinese fintech giant Alipay has for some years now had the "Smile to Pay" system: Alipay users can pay for something by just smiling into the camera in an Alipay "Smile to Pay" POS terminal. IIRC KFC was the first place to have it.
In China, many operators of public toilets seek to prevent theft of toilet paper (I shit you not ๐) by having some kind of rationed dispenser (a certain user can only receive a certain amount of paper in a certain amount of time) or a vending machine.
Public toilet + toilet paper vending machine + "Smile to Pay" = facial recognition in toilets.
In fact, I think a few wanted fugitives have been caught (out?) by the cameras on toilet paper vending machines.
I thought you were kidding but who the hell thought this ridiculous concept was a good idea? Putting aside the security implications, did no one see how absurd it is?
Some places in China are so technologically advanced, that every single thing you do is approved, verified and protected by facial recognition. Carrying a wallet/cash, locking doors, encountering traffic, and even petty crime in general are a thing of the past. In exchange, you're monitored at all times by multiple cameras everywhere you go
Do you have more information on this, or a phrase to Google? The idea of zero traffic, zero petty crime sounds incredibly impressive