The idea of an airport kiosk using facial recognition to display your flight details might sound like the plot of an episode of Black Mirror , but it’s very much a reality in China.
Matthew Brennan, a writer based in China, discovered one of the creepy kiosks at the Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport.
He tweeted a video of the kiosk in action, and explained how it worked.
He wrote: “Wow! China Airport face recognition systems to help you check your flight status and find the way to your gate.
New check-in process launches where you don't need a passport or boarding pass
“Note I did not input anything, it accurately identified my full flight information from my face!”
While the system is likely to help break down language barriers for travellers, it’s left many people unnerved.
One user replied: “Hello Big Brother ,” while another added: “Absolutely unsettling.”
Police are going to test facial recognition technology in London
Another said: “I'm not in love with the idea of flashing one's destination and departure information up on the big screen for all to see either.”
It’s unclear whether the kiosk pulls facial recognition information from a central database, or whether Mr Brennan’s face was recognised from his passport.
Either way, it's pretty creepy!
