May 30, 2024: Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area School conducts exam training and rehearsal, requiring facial recognition for entry.Photo: IC

The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) and the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) on Friday jointly issued detailed measures for the safe application of facial recognition technology, in a bid to better safeguard personal information rights and interests.

The measures, which are due to officially take effect on June 1, clearly outlined the clarification of the basic requirements for using facial recognition technology to process facial information, and stated that the use of facial recognition technology to process facial information must comply with laws and regulations.

Responding to media questions about the measures, an official with the CAC stated that the measures were introduced in response to the rapid development of internet technologies such as cloud computing, big data, and artificial intelligence, with facial recognition technology quickly becoming widespread across various sectors, including consumer services, finance, and transportation.

While it has contributed to the growth of the digital economy and made everyday life more convenient, it has also sparked public concerns about privacy violations and personal information leaks, drawing significant attention from all sectors of society, the official said. 

"The measure aims to regulate the use of facial recognition technology in processing facial information and to protect individuals' personal information rights," the CAC official further noted.

According to the measures, the use of facial recognition technology to process facial information should have a specific purpose and sufficient necessity, while minimizing the impact on personal rights and implementing strict protective measures. 

In addition, before using facial recognition technology to process facial information, personal information processors must give clear and comprehensive information to individuals. Specifically, this includes providing information such as the name or contact details of the personal information processor, the purpose and method of processing facial information, and the retention period for the processed facial information, according to the measures.

The measures also said that personal information processors must complete a filing procedure with the provincial-level or higher cyberspace administration within 30 working days once the number of stored facial information records reaches 100,000.

No organization or individual may mislead, deceive, or coerce individuals into using facial recognition technology for identity verification under the pretext of conducting business or improving service quality, the measures said, adding that violations of these measures shall be handled in accordance with relevant laws and administrative regulations.

Such measures are also conducive to supporting the industry's healthy and sustainable development, Liu Dingding, a veteran tech industry expert, told the Global Times on Friday, noting that the latest measures offer further guidance that charts the course for a law-based and healthy development of the industry.

The application scenarios of facial recognition technology have been expanding rapidly, from fast security checks at airports and train stations to convenient access control in residential communities, and from facial authentication for mobile payments to attendance management in school classrooms, according to an article on the CAC's website.

"The security of facial recognition technology applications is by no means a trivial matter. It is deeply related to the safety and happiness of the people," read the article posted on Friday, "we must take a multi-pronged approach to build a comprehensive security system."