From Dec. 1, mobile users hoping to purchase SIM cards in China will have to undergo a mandatory “facial registration” procedure, according to a recent policy from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

The new requirement, announced in September, aims to “utilize innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence” to improve the existing real-name registration system, as well as prevent identity theft and the resale of SIM cards, the ministry said. Previously, mobile users had to present their national ID cards or passports when buying a SIM card.

Face-scanning kiosks have actually been in use in Beijing since October, according to local media. Customers purchasing SIM cards now have their faces scanned along with their identity cards — a streamlined process that takes around 5 minutes, the report said. Users can also complete the registration steps on a telecom provider’s mobile app by taking a photo of their ID and uploading a six-second video of their face.

The expansion of facial recognition to virtually every industry in China has sparked broad discussions about security and ethics. In November, a professor in the eastern Zhejiang province filed the country’s first lawsuit against the compulsory collection of facial data by a local zoo. And on Wednesday, artificial intelligence firm SenseTime announced that it is heading a coalition of 27 Chinese companies to draft the country’s first national standard for applications of facial recognition. (Image: IC)