Politics
China Uses Facial Recognition to Fence In Villagers in Far West
- New system alerts authorities when targets leave ‘safe areas’
- Western region of Xinjiang serves as surveillance laboratory
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China’s state surveillance apparatus is trying out a new tool in one of its favorite test beds, the restive region of Xinjiang.
The Muslim-dominated villages on China’s western frontier are testing facial-recognition systems that alert authorities when targeted people venture more than 300 meters (1,000 feet) beyond designated “safe areas,” according to a person familiar with the project. The areas comprise individuals’ homes and workplaces, said the person, who requested anonymity to speak to the media without authorization.