Face Recognition To Start At Hong Kong Border Checks Soon

The Richie Rich city of Hong Kong is planning to use face recognition technology at various Hong Kong border crossings so as to screen residents that pass through them. Security Secretary of Hong Kong Ambrose Lee said in a written statement to legislators that the city was considering the idea of using face recognition technology at its borders similar to what is being used at the international airport of Beijing. If this idea turns to be successful then this will become one of the best use of technology in this region as keeping track of everybody that passes via the Hong Kong borders will truly be a daunting task.

With a population of over 7 million, Hong Kong is already using fingerprint recognition technology so as to permit its residents to pass through those checkpoints that do not have human security available. The Security Secretary, Ambrose Lee, said that the Immigration Department of Hong Kong was studying hard the feasibility issues related to using this technology at its borders and will give out the report for the same very soon.

The kind of face recognition technology that Hong Kong is planning to use includes some high tech cameras that can recognize a person by its physical features. This technology is currently being used via some of the closed-circuit systems of few shopping centers and different public buildings of China. Looks like Hong Kong security think tank take most of their inspiration from China itself.

As expected (because they love to pop up every time something new happens) human rights group have started to raise their concerns regarding the widespread use of face recognition technology in this region as this could be used to monitor and recognize dissidents inside China.