BEIJING • Police in a Chinese city are sporting high-tech sunglasses that can identify suspects in a crowded train station, the newest use of facial recognition technology that has drawn concerns among human rights groups..
BEIJING • Police in a Chinese city are sporting high-tech sunglasses that can identify suspects in a crowded train station, the newest use of facial recognition technology that has drawn concerns among human rights groups.
In a scene reminiscent of the dystopian sci-fi television show Black Mirror, officers in the central city of Zhengzhou are wearing the digital shades amid the crush of travellers heading home during Chinese New Year, the busiest time for the country’s transit system.
So far, the technology has allowed police to nab seven suspects accused of crimes ranging from human trafficking to hit and runs, as well as 26 other people who were using fake IDs, according to the state-owned People’s Daily, quoting the city’s police department.
The system is part of China’s efforts to build a digital surveillance system able to use a variety of biometric data — from photos and iris scans to fingerprints — to keep close tabs on the movements of the entire population.
