Beijing Subway "passenger credit system" slammed as "dystopian"

News that Beijing authorities trialed facial recognition as part of a broader "passenger credit system" sparked concerns about privacy, surveillance and loss of rights. The Beijing Subway said it would implement a facial recognition system as part of its "passenger credit system" to process fares payments and identify and classify passengers as they enter subway stations . The system was to be trailed on the airport metro line, with plans for wider implementation if deemed successful. The classification was intended to streamline security checks by sorting passengers into different channels based on their profiles, creating a "white list" of passengers deemed low-risk and allowed them to pass through security checks more quickly. Conversely, those flagged by the system due to "abnormal feedback" would undergo additional scrutiny. The subway's passenger credit system has prompted accusations of coerced spending, with critics arguing it unfairly and opaquely pressures passengers to spend more on subway fares to benefit from credits, effectively manipulating consumer behaviour for profit rather than genuinely incentivising public transport use. Linked to China's broader Social Credit System, Beijing's passenger credit system also raised alarms about surveillance, with many people viewing it as a form of social control reminiscent of dystopian scenarios where individuals' actions are systemetically monitored and judged. The facial recognition plan prompted criticism about potential loss privacy, the ethics of data collection, and the lack of transparency in how the system would operate. Critics also argued that the implementation of the technology could lead to discrimination and a lack of accountability in how personal data is handled. Social Credit System The Social Credit System ( Chinese : 社会信用体系; pinyin : shèhuì xìnyòng tǐxì ) is a national credit rating and blacklist being developed by the government of China . Source: Wikipedia System 🤖 Beijing Public Transit Card 🔗 Operator: Beijing Subway; Beijing Municipal Commission of Transportation Developer: Country: China Sector: Govt - munic ipal; Govt - police; Govt - transport Purpose: Strengthen security; Accelerate passenger flow; Improve passenger behaviour Technology: Facial recognition Issue: Dual/multi-use; Human/civil rights; Privacy; Surveillance

Date it happened

2019-10-01

Organisation involved

Beijing Subway; Beijing Municipal Commission of Transportation

Product, system or model

Passenger credit system

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