Data privacy Illustration: VCG

 
A soon-to-be enacted regulation on social credit in Tianjin Municipality is expected to become the nation's first legislation on the prohibition of collecting biometric data — including facial recognition information — from citizens. 

The Tianjin Municipal Social Credit Regulations were passed by the Standing Committee of the 17th Tianjin Municipal People's Congress and will take effect on January 1, 2021. 

The 16th clause stipulates that credit information providers have to obtain the person's acknowledgement and reach a mutual agreement on the usage of information before the information is collected, except for those already ruled by laws and administrative regulations. 

Such information includes a person's biometric information and blood type, as well as religious beliefs, diseases, and other personal information prohibited to be collected by laws and administrative regulations. 

According to this regulation, companies, industry associations and chambers of commerce will be thereafter prohibited to collect biometric data such as facial recognition information, fingerprints and voices.