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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 Facial recognition devices for schools spark concern
The front entrance of Taipei First Girls’ High School is pictured on June 21. Photo: Tsai Ya-hua, Taipei Times
INVASION OF PRIVACY: The city should discuss the issue first with school faculty and parents before installing the devices, a DPP councilor said
By Tsai Ya-hua and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer
Democratic Progressive Party （DPP） Taipei City Councilor Lee Ching-feng （李慶峰） yesterday blasted a city government proposal to install facial recognition systems in public schools, saying it runs the risk of invading students’ privacy.
The city has applied with the Industrial Development Bureau for subsidies for a program called Applied Usage of Smart Technology in Public Housing and Schools to install facial recognition devices at four public high schools: Taipei First Girls’ High School, Heping High School, Taipei Municipal Zhong-Lun High School and Taipei Municipal Bailing High School, Lee said.
Lee asked whether students, parents and faculty knew about this potential invasion of their privacy.
Taipei Department of Education Director Tseng Tsan-chin （曾璨金） said that the department is aware of such concerns.
Educational institutions should be willing to give innovative technology a chance for limited experiments, Tseng said, adding that there must be communication between the two sides if controversy arises.
The department will look into issues such as information gathering and usage of confidential information, Tseng said.
Lee said the department should not have submitted its proposal if it still has reservations about the program.
“The plan clearly designates which areas would be affected and what kind of measures would be implemented should issues of invasion of privacy arise,” Lee said.
Profiling is rampant in China and “we do not need to follow suit,” he said, adding that if there really is a necessity, smaller areas should be considered a priority or the system should be introduced in government buildings and offices first.
Tseng promised that the program would not be implemented without first discussing the issue with school faculty and parents.
The program aims to step up security measures in schools and help teachers in getting to know their students, department official Chen Ping-hsi （陳秉熙） said.
The 12-year national education program, which is scheduled to start in the new school year, would remove the homeroom-based system that Taiwanese are familiar with, Chen said.
Instead, students will have to go to different classrooms for different subjects, Chen said.
“We hope to offer a biometric recognition system, or a better solution, to assist with the transition,” Chen said.
With proposed funding of NT$25 million （US$816,140）, the program is expected to be approved soon and implemented by Aug. 30 at the earliest, Chen said.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
