China’s technology giants are rushing to embrace the commercial use of facial-recognition technology, attempting to leapfrog western rivals that have taken a more cautious approach for fear of alarming privacy-conscious consumers.
While privacy concerns have slowed the rollout of the technology in some markets, many people in China already are accustomed to having their faces scanned for daily errands, ranging from making payments to accessing residential blocks, student dormitories and hotels.
The technology has even been used to stamp out a decades-old problem: the regular theft of mounds of toilet paper at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. The public toilets at the well-visited park now feature a paper dispenser which recognises users’ faces and does not allow for frequent repeat visits.