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Product pages of silicone human face masks on sale on multiple e-commerce platforms.

In the first half of this year, there were many cases of people wearing silicone face masks and pretending to be someone else to break into homes and steal in Shanghai, Xuzhou, Jiangsu and other places. Using silicone face masks to pretend to be someone else and commit crimes is becoming a new method for some criminals to commit crimes. Where do these masks come from? Can they really pass all facial recognition systems easily?

The reporter found that the prices of face masks currently sold on e-commerce platforms range from tens of yuan to tens of thousands of yuan. Some merchants who provide face mask customization services claim that customers need to show the consent form signed by the customized object for the use of portrait rights before placing an order. In this regard, a lawyer reminded that the legal risks behind silicone face masks cannot be ignored, and relevant departments urgently need to strengthen regulations and supervision.

Online shopping

Provide a photo to customize a face mask

Recently, the reporter searched for "human skin mask" as a keyword on an e-commerce platform and found that the term had been automatically blocked by the system. However, by simply changing the keywords to "silicone mask", "human face mask" or "simulated leather mask", many merchants were found selling products such as "mask adult full face silicone headgear", "disguise real face replacement human skin mask", "elderly silicone mask human face full face", etc.

Merchants with lower quotes mostly sell flat paper masks, mainly with celebrity faces. You can buy a real-life headgear for around 50 yuan, covering different genders and age groups.

The price of a privately customized mask is usually over 10,000 yuan. Some merchants said that the degree of restoration of a customized face mask can reach over 80%, with multiple details such as skin color and facial blemishes. For an additional 3,000 yuan, hair can be transplanted into the face mask.

When asked what information is needed to customize a face mask, most merchants said that a photo of the person is sufficient. If conditions permit, 3D facial scan data can also be provided.

"If there is any infringement, it has nothing to do with the store." The merchant emphasized that before customizing a face mask, it is necessary to sign a "waiver agreement" with the customer. If the photo of the customer placing an order is not the customer himself, he must provide a consent form for the use of the image rights of the customized object. The consent form can be signed electronically to avoid the merchant's risks. For celebrities and public figures, the merchant said that they will not accept customization unless they obtain authorization from the person himself.

Texture

The restoration degree is 90%, which is quite close to real human skin.

The reporter also found that the merchants confidently stated on the details page that their products could pass the facial recognition system.

In order to verify the authenticity of these products, the reporter came to the offline studio of this online store under the guidance of the customer service. The staff introduced to the reporter: the price of a mask with only a silicone human face is 3,200 yuan, 6,800 yuan with hair transplants, and 15,600 yuan for a customized one, and the facial feature data needs to be provided.

The process of customizing silicone headgear is not complicated, but the fee is relatively high, mainly because it is labor-intensive and time-consuming. The longer it takes, the more refined the production, and the higher the degree of restoration. The degree of restoration can reach about 90%, and both the skin color and the feel are quite close to real human skin.

However, the studio staff also said that wearing their silicone face masks does not guarantee 100% passing of the facial recognition system, because even if the appearance similarity reaches 80%-90%, the facial recognition system's face scanning will be affected by uncertain factors, such as lighting problems.

Another mask manufacturer is confident in its products. A factory staff member said, "We can pass (facial recognition) by swiping a card."

Different manufacturers make different promises about the degree of restoration. On the question of whether it can pass the facial recognition system, some responsible persons vowed that it can pass, while others did not dare to guarantee it.

Measured

Can silicone face masks fool facial recognition systems?

In order to find out whether silicone face masks can break through the facial recognition system, the reporter came to the Network Security Center of the China Institute of Electronics Standardization and carried out tests under the guidance of laboratory professionals.

Test 1: The first attendance machine

Step 1: The tester wears a silicone face mask and enters the silicone face information.

Step 2: Check in normally.

Result: As the machine reported "Signed in", it was proved that this access control and attendance machine with dual cameras was quickly hacked by the simulation mask.

Test 2: The second attendance machine

Step 1: The tester puts on the mask and the facial information is successfully entered into the newly tested attendance machine.

Step 2: Check in normally.

Result: As the machine's error prompt sounded, it meant that the silicone face could not fool this attendance machine commonly used in the market.

The testers told reporters that the second attendance machine has optimized the real-person recognition model in terms of algorithm. This data calculation method can effectively block non-real-person targets and improve security.

Test 3: Smart door lock

The tester wears a mask to enter facial information.

The reporter and the tester tried repeatedly, but the electronic door lock was unable to record the facial information of the person wearing the mask. The tester told the reporter that the complex data algorithm of the smart door lock recognized that the "masked face" was not the valid facial data of a real person, so it refused to collect and enter the data.

Test 4: Smartphone

When the reporter used a mobile phone to scan real facial data, the phone quickly completed the collection of facial data; but when the tester put on a silicone face mask and began to scan the facial data of the person wearing the mask, the mobile phone's scanning program did not respond.

Through professional testing, most current face recognition devices and computer algorithms can easily identify the fakeness of this silicone face mask. This silicone face mask sold online is useless in front of attendance machines, smart door locks, mobile phone scanning and other devices. As for the so-called rumors in society, the testers told reporters that there is no need to worry.

He Yanzhe, deputy director of the evaluation laboratory of the Cyber ​​Security Center of the China Institute of Electronics Standardization, told reporters that in most cases, facial recognition requires multiple verifications. The enhanced facial identity verification technology of the current leading manufacturers can effectively block attacks and accurately identify, with an accuracy rate of more than 99%.

Despite this, industry insiders also suggest that the public security department should register and strictly review highly realistic silicone face masks and production companies. At the same time, relevant departments should also increase supervision of the sale of realistic masks on e-commerce platforms to prevent them from being used by some criminals.

Can merchants be exempted from liability by providing a "power of attorney" for customized face masks?

Lawyers believe that it is difficult to distinguish the authenticity of power of attorney, and regulatory authorities may consider issuing compliance guidelines

Pan Xiang, partner of Guangdong Zhongan Law Firm and arbitrator of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area International Arbitration Center, said, "Merchants requiring customizers to provide authorization letters from others and sign waiver agreements is actually a practice of covering up the truth." It is difficult to distinguish the authenticity of the authorization letter, and even if a waiver agreement is signed, the merchant cannot escape blame.

Pan Xiang pointed out that the Civil Code and the Personal Information Protection Law clearly protect citizens' portrait rights and personal information rights including facial information, iris, fingerprints and other biometric information. Without the consent of others, the customization, production, sale, purchase and use of face masks with other people's facial information will infringe others' portrait rights, privacy rights, personal information rights and other personal rights.

Pan Xiang said that the misuse of facial masks will cause multiple legal risks such as infringement of others' portrait rights, privacy rights, personal information rights, and being used as a tool for criminal activities, endangering the personal and property safety of others. Therefore, the major security hazards and risks brought about by the illegal customization and buying and selling of facial masks cannot be ignored.

"If merchants know or should know that buyers will use customized facial masks for theft, fraud and other criminal activities but still produce and sell them, they will constitute an accomplice in providing criminal tools and should bear criminal responsibility," said Pan Xiang.

Li Bin, a lawyer at Beijing Zhongwen Law Firm, believes that "strictly speaking, this kind of authorization should be formally notarized and a notarized authorization letter should be issued before it can be carried out. However, in reality, few consumers will do this, so if businesses think that they can be exempted from liability by relying on so-called authorization letters or consent letters, I think the risk is extremely high."

In view of the risks of damaging public interests and social security posed by the current customized silicone face masks, Li Bin suggested that for such niche products, the regulatory authorities could consider issuing normative documents such as compliance guidelines, or strengthening the management of silicone face mask production and operation behaviors, and put forward clear and legal requirements for relevant operators, and reiterate the prohibitive provisions of the current laws. At the same time, it is clear that once the relevant business operations of operators violate the law, they may be subject to relevant legal responsibilities.

Integration: Dong Shuyun

Source: CCTV Finance, Xinhuanet, CNR, Beijing Youth Daily, etc.