Experts Gather to Discuss Facial Recognition Monitoring 人臉辨識科技隱憂 北市法務局專家會議

In view of the recent use of deepfake technology in cybercrime, the Taipei City Government's Department of Legal Affairs held a discussion inviting experts from various fields to discuss the management and monitoring of the use of facial recognition in the public sector.  

It has recently come to the attention of the public that the misuse of the deepfake technology and facial recognition can seriously infringe upon people's personal information, following the case of internet influencer Hsiao Yu producing and profiting off of deceitful pornographic videos. Taipei City Government's Department of Legal Affairs held a discussion inviting experts from various fields to discuss how to monitor the use of facial recognition in the public sector.

Weng Kuo-yen, Lawyer: “The Personal Data Protection Act provides a legal basis and sets legal boundaries on how government agencies can use and manage citizens' personal information. Government agencies should obtain consent from citizens before they use their information and citizens have the right to request agencies at any time to stop using their personal information. It's all clearly stated in the Personal Data Protection Act.”

Chou Kuan-ju, Coordinator, Taiwan Association for Human Rights: “People should be aware of whether their personal information and photos from household registration records are being shared with other agencies and being misused.”

Civil groups said companies, schools, and public agencies in Taiwan have been using facial recognition for entrance permissions and attendance systems since 2006. Needless to say, fingerprint and facial recognition are often used for criminal investigations as well. Facial recognition is even combined with body temperature measures since the arrival of the pandemic. However, most people have no idea how a huge load of information can be used.

Wang Jen-fu, Director, Cybersecurity Technology Institute: “We should come up with a comprehensive framework of data protection rights before we try to fix cybercrime. The authorities’ intention may be to prevent cybercrime, but the Criminal Investigation Bureau and the Justice Investigation Bureau would be chasing tails since data collection creates more gateways for cybercriminals to carry out cyberattacks while the police try to diminish the crime.”

One cyber security expert said large-scale personal data collection violates privacy and other fundamental rights of citizens as the risk of criminal groups misusing personal information from facial recognition is high. Policymakers must assess the possible trade-offs in data utilization and make sure that they are implemented with full transparency and accountability.
 

近期網紅小玉以「Deepfake技術」非法置換知名演員、藝人、網紅甚至是政治人物的臉部於情色影片中，遭到外界痛斥，也引發各界開始重視個資、人臉辨識等議題，北市府法務局就邀請各界代表分別討論公部門使用人臉辨識等科技監控措施。

律師翁國彥表示:「整個個資法的架構，其實都是希望盡可能用法律的精神，去規制去管控 ，了解確認公務機關，到底怎麼去使用民眾的個資，所以他從事前的取得知情同意，事後可以讓民眾知道，之後決定我要不要停止要求，公務機關停止使用我的個資，這個在個資法裡面都有關規定。」
 

台灣人權促進會專員周冠汝表示:「在台灣我們可能就要想到的是，我們戶政的資料等等的這些相片，是不是有提供給其他的機關，去做一些民眾本來不清楚的利用，以及是不是有其他照片來源。」

民間團體表示，自從2006年包括公司的門禁、考勤都開始出現人臉辨識運用技術，就連中央的犯罪偵查到大學，甚至是台北市府的就業服務處，都有採購指紋辨識臉型辨識，也因疫情關係，越來越多單位將人臉辨識跟量體溫一起結合，但背後真正的用途民眾根本不清楚。

資策會資安科技總監王仁甫表示:「就是說我們要做這些事情以前，先把資安做到最好，再來想這些事，你本來的目的其實是想要訴追犯罪，可是刑事警察局調查局會更辛苦，叫做疲於奔命，為什麼? 因為你左邊看起來消滅了一些預防犯罪，右邊創造詐騙的犯罪。」

資安專家認為，若大規模蒐集個資會物化人性，侵害法律所授予的人性尊嚴，且在科技進步下如果未來趨勢是廣泛使用臉部辨識風險會相當高，一旦落入駭客或不法犯罪集團手中，都將影響生命財產跟行為，政府各單位不得不審慎因應。