Russia Expands Biometric Fare Payment System Beyond Moscow Metro

Russia has begun expanding its facial recognition payment system, known as Face Pay, to subways in cities outside of Moscow, including Kazan and Nizhny Novgorod. The system allows passengers to pay for rides using facial recognition technology, and is expected to be implemented nationwide by 2025.

While Russian officials claim the system enhances security and convenience, critics express concern over potential misuse for surveillance and the infringement of civil rights.

In Moscow, where Face Pay was first introduced in 2021, CCTV cameras using facial recognition technology have been linked to the detention of protesters and journalists. Human rights advocates, such as attorney Andrei Fedorkov, fear that this biometric system could be used for increased surveillance and control of citizens, particularly in protests.

Despite assurances from officials that biometric data is kept separate from personal information, concerns persist over the privacy and security of such data, as well as the possibility of it being accessed by state actors.

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has warned that biometric systems, even when voluntary, carry inherent risks to privacy and freedom of expression, urging strong legal and technical safeguards for their use.

This is the latest example of concerns arising over the Russian government’s increased use of facial recognition technology. In June of this year, a secretive group called RKS Global released a report titled “State of Surveillance,” detailing Russia’s biometric and digital surveillance systems.

The report highlighted the use of facial recognition technology by local authorities, particularly in Moscow, where systems from companies like NtechLab, VisionLabs, and Tevian have been integrated into public safety and transportation programs. Despite a lack of federal laws specifically regulating biometrics, these technologies are used under broader counter-terrorism and security laws, raising concerns about the lack of transparency and potential abuse.

The report also outlined Russia’s SORM surveillance infrastructure, which allows the government to intercept communications, and underscores the opaque legal framework that permits extrajudicial access to data without sufficient oversight. RKS Global’s background remains unclear, though the group claims to be composed of experts in internet freedom.

Source: Radio Free Europe Radio Library

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September 16, 2024 – by Ali Nassar-Smith