The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has announced that it is drafting rules to govern the use of facial recognition technology in the country. The move comes amid concerns about the overuse of facial recognition technology in China, and the potential for it to be used for surveillance and to violate people's privacy.

The draft rules, which are still under development, would require companies that use facial recognition technology to obtain the consent of individuals before collecting their facial data. The rules would also require companies to store facial data in a secure manner and to delete it when it is no longer needed.

The CAC has said that the rules are necessary to protect people's privacy and to ensure the healthy development of facial recognition technology in China. The rules are expected to be finalized and implemented in the coming months.

The use of facial recognition technology in China has been growing rapidly in recent years. The technology is now being used for a variety of purposes, including:

• Access control: Facial recognition is being used to control access to buildings, schools, and other facilities.
• Payment: Facial recognition is being used to make payments at stores and restaurants.
• Advertising: Facial recognition is being used to target advertising to individuals.
• Surveillance: Facial recognition is being used by law enforcement to track and identify individuals.

The rapid growth of facial recognition technology has raised concerns about the potential for it to be used for surveillance and to violate people's privacy. In particular, there are concerns that facial recognition technology could be used to track and identify individuals without their knowledge or consent.

The CAC's draft rules are a step in the right direction to address these concerns. The rules would require companies to obtain the consent of individuals before collecting their facial data, and they would require companies to store facial data in a secure manner. However, it remains to be seen how strictly the rules will be enforced.

It is important to note that the CAC is not the only Chinese regulator that is concerned about the use of facial recognition technology. The Ministry of Public Security (MPS) has also issued regulations on the use of facial recognition technology for law enforcement purposes. The MPS regulations are more restrictive than the CAC's draft rules, and they require law enforcement agencies to obtain a warrant before using facial recognition technology to track or identify individuals.

The development of facial recognition technology is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it has the potential to improve public safety and security. On the other hand, it also has the potential to be used for surveillance and to violate people's privacy. It is important to strike a balance between these two competing interests. The CAC's draft rules are a step in the right direction, but it remains to be seen how effective they will be in protecting people's privacy.