Facial recognition system monitors Chinese school students

The Chinese are confident that IT technologies can help students not only with modern learning systems, but also by managing their behavior.

An “intelligent classroom behavior management system” was installed in a middle school in Hangzhou. Three cameras now monitor the students and capture their faces every 30 seconds to determine each child's mood. A software package on a specialized server analyzes video images from cameras and identifies students who are distracted from classes. The facial recognition system is configured to identify seven different emotions, including neutral facial expressions, happiness, sadness, confusion, anger, fear and surprise. After assessing the students' facial expressions, the system sends a signal to the teacher about those who are distracted.

 The developers of the system, Hikvision Digital Technology, one of the world's largest suppliers of CCTV cameras, took care of the safety of students. Pictures from classrooms are not stored, and the data does not go to the cloud. The facial recognition system is also installed in the school canteen and library, this eliminates the need for students to have any identification cards. 

According to the developers, the system is not intended for total surveillance of students, but to help teachers improve the quality of the educational process. The system only analyzes the emotional state of children in class, without tracking their behavior throughout the day, so such observation is not considered an interference in the personal lives of schoolchildren.

The program was criticized on Chinese social networks, noting that these are just children, not concentration camp prisoners. However, China has long failed to adhere to privacy rules. In China, the use of CCTV cameras is widespread. With the help of cameras, the situation on the roads is monitored, criminals are detained, and the behavior of citizens in the subway and on the streets is monitored. Most Chinese fear that in this way the authorities are conducting total surveillance of the country's population. 

And these fears are not unfounded. China is gradually introducing a social rating system, which determines the degree of trustworthiness and law-abidingness of a citizen and affects his opportunities in society.. Those who frequently break the law may have their civil rights reduced. For example, limit lending or prohibit travel abroad. China is currently far ahead of all countries in the world in monitoring its own citizens.