China introduced Internet access "in the face"

On December 1, a new law began to operate in China, according to which all citizens will need not only a national identity card to access the Internet but also additional identification through a face scan.

According to hi-tech.mail.ru, the initiative aims to combat cases of online fraud, but at the same time, it reduces the level of network anonymity. The draft law was proposed in September this year when protests against the extradition law were held in Hong Kong for half a year - the protest movement participants used Internet services to coordinate actions.

In China, face recognition is actively used in street surveillance systems. The country has become a leader in the implementation of such technologies. In 2017, 170 million cameras were already operating in the PRC, and by 2020 this number will increase by another 400 million. At the same time, the Chinese themselves are actively using face recognition technology in everyday life, for example, to pay for products in a supermarket or navigate at the airport.

In many countries, to access the mobile Internet, the user needs a passport for issuing SIM cards. China complements this procedure with face scans to verify that user data is consistent. Thus, the authorities will have a mechanism for identifying any user, since most Chinese people use the network through their smartphones.

In Russia, a similar system can also work. In September, Rostelecom announced the preparation of a system for the remote identification of mobile subscribers by their voice and face. The new technology can be based on the Unified Biometric System, which is now used to serve bank customers.

It may take a long time before the full launch of such a system since it will require a change in the laws in force in Russia. It is assumed that the launch of remote user authentication will help accelerate the implementation of eSIM.