Shenzhen scenic site suspends AI video service over privacy concerns
Ganping Ancient Town scenic area in Shenzhen deployed an AI facial recognition system that captured and sold video footage of tourists without prior explicit consent. Following public criticism and legal concerns about privacy violations and facial recognition accuracy, the service was reportedly suspended.
What happened
Ganping Ancient Town scenic area in Shenzhen deployed an AI facial recognition system that automatically captured video footage of tourists visiting the site, using surveillance cameras positioned at popular spots and scenic viewpoints.
Tourists could pay approximately 30 yuan to scan a code and receive an AI-generated highlight video of their visit, which the system produced by identifying their faces in the recorded footage.
Reported impact
Net users and legal experts raised concerns that the service violated privacy rights, as tourists' facial data and location information were collected without prior explicit consent, and facial recognition errors could result in tourists viewing videos of other visitors.
Index analysis
A lawyer cited the Personal Information Protection Law, noting that facial information is sensitive personal data requiring specific purpose, necessity and strict protective measures; facial data must not be processed without explicit prior consent.
The system involved automatic collection of facial features and movement tracking across the scenic area, creating a persistent record of visitor behavior and physical location without clear opt-in mechanisms before surveillance began.
Governance controls
The scenic area stated the service was voluntary and that tourists could choose not to participate; however, facial capture occurred during general visitation before any choice was presented to users.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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