China: Face Scan Required to Use Internet
October 3rd, 2019Via: Daily Mail:
China has stepped up its internet censorship by demanding its citizens pass a facial-recognition test to be able to use web services.
People who want to have the internet installed at home or on their phones must have their faces scanned by the Chinese authority to prove their identities, according to a new regulation.
The rule, which will take effect on December 1, is said to be part of the social credit system which rates the Chinese citizens based on their daily behaviour.
At present, a Chinese citizen will need to show his or her ID card while applying for a landline or the internet.
The facial-recognition test is set to verify that the ID card belongs to the applicant.
The directive was issued by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology late last month.
The Ministry claimed the move would help improve the country’s internet security and combat terrorism.
