China's top internet regulator started seeking suggestions from the public on Tuesday on a draft regulation on facial recognition technology, as the nation aims to provide more advanced and stronger protection of Chinese people's personal information and biological data.

（本周二，国家互联网信息办公室就《人脸识别技术应用安全管理规定（试行）（征求意见稿）》（以下简称《规定》）向社会公开征求意见，以更先进、更有力的举措保护中国人的个人信息和生物数据。）

The full version of the 25-article draft focusing on the application security of the technology has been published online by the Cyberspace Administration of China.

（国家互联网信息办公室已在网上公布了该《规定》的全部内容。《规定》共二十五条，重点关注人脸识别技术的应用安全。）

Facial recognition, a major feature of artificial intelligence, has been widely applied in recent years in fields such as public transportation and security management, but it has also led to some concerns over the misuse of this data.

（人脸识别是人工智能技术的一大特色，近年来在公共交通、安全管理等领域得到了广泛应用，但也引发了相关数据可能被滥用的隐忧。）

To respond to these concerns, the country has stepped up efforts to regulate the use of the technology. In 2021, for example, it adopted the Personal Information Protection Law, calling for stronger protection of sensitive information, along with a judicial document dealing with civil lawsuits involving technology.

（为了解决这种隐忧，中国加大了对该技术使用的监管力度。例如，2021 年，中国通过了《中华人民共和国个人信息保护法》，要求加强对敏感信息的保护，同时还通过了一份司法文件，用来处理涉及人脸识别技术的民事诉讼。）

Zhao Zhanling, a lawyer from Beijing JAVY Law Firm, welcomed these moves, but said they have yet to "solve a few practical problems, such as where the technology could be applied and what obligations its users should have".

（北京嘉维律师事务所赵占领律师对该《规定》的起草表示支持。但他也指出，该《规定》并没有 "解决一些实际问题，比如这项技术可以应用在哪些领域，用户应该承担哪些义务"。）

While highlighting the importance of technological security, he said that the newly released draft offers some answers to related problems.

（赵律师表示，新起草的《规定》在强调技术安全重要性的同时，也为相关问题提供了一些答案。）

For instance, the draft clarifies that any party responsible for processing someone's facial information with face-scanning technology should first obtain his or her permission, and such information can only be further processed under strict safeguards.

（例如，《规定》明确指出，任何使用人脸识别技术处理他人面部信息的单位都应当取得个人同意，且在采取严格保护措施的情形下，方可使用人脸识别技术处理人脸信息。）

It specifies that hotels, banks, stations, airports, sports venues, exhibition halls, museums, art galleries, libraries and other business places, should not force, mislead, coerce or threaten individuals to accept the technology to verify their identity on the grounds of handling business or improving service quality, unless the current laws or administrative rules have already required the use of the technology.

（该《规定》指出，宾馆、银行、车站、机场、体育场馆、展览馆、博物馆、美术馆、图书馆等经营场所，除法律、行政法规规定应当使用人脸识别技术验证个人身份的，不得以办理业务、提升服务质量等为由强制、误导、欺诈、胁迫个人接受人脸识别技术验证个人身份。）

It also states that those who install, use or maintain cameras or other facilities to collect images or verify the identity of individuals in public places are obligated to keep the collected information confidential.

（该《规定》指出，在公共场所安装图像采集、个人身份识别设备的建设、使用、运行维护单位，对获取的个人图像、身份识别信息负有保密义务。）

In addition, it said the users of this technology must make a filing with the local cyberspace department within 30 days if they use it in public places, or store the facial information of more than 10,000 people.

（该《规定》指出，在公共场所使用人脸识别技术，或者存储超过1万人人脸信息的人脸识别技术使用者，应当在30个工作日内向所属地市级以上网信部门备案。）

Furthermore, it stipulates that community management departments should make other options available for residents to prove their identity and grant them entry even if they decline to use a facial recognition system.

（此外，该《规定》还指出，物业服务企业等建筑物管理人不得将使用人脸识别技术验证个人身份作为出入物业管理区域的唯一方式，个人不同意通过人脸信息进行身份验证的，物业服务企业等建筑物管理人应当提供其他合理、便捷的身份验证方式。）

Zhao said that such a regulation focusing on the application of this technology is essential and timely, "as it's related to individual's rights and interests, as well as public security".

（赵律师表示，这样一部关注人脸识别技术应用的草案非常必要，也非常及时，“因为这关系到个人权益，也关系到公共安全”。）

"Facial information is sensitive, so everyone, especially the information handlers, should be more prudent in its application," he added.

（赵律师补充道，“人脸信息是敏感信息，因此每个人，尤其是信息处理人员，在应用时都应更加谨慎”。）

Before the release of this draft, the Cyberspace Administration of China had also mentioned facial recognition technology in its data security regulation in 2021.

（在该《规定》起草之前，国家互联网信息办公室在《中华人民共和国数据安全法》（2021）中也提到了人脸识别技术。）