Alibaba facial recognition accused of seeking out Uighur minority individuals

Alibaba facial recognition - faces - technology

The technology giant was developed with the capacity to spot members of this ethnic group, says IPVM. Alibaba facial recognition technology can specifically identify individuals from China’s Uighur minority, says a report from IPVM, the surveillance industry research group. This report follows on the heels of serious human rights accusations against China’s treatment of Uighurs. Human rights groups from around the globe are accusing China of forcing more than 1 million people from the Muslim Uighur minority into labor camps. These groups have also been calling out companies that have…

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Alipay app for tourists: foreign visitors in China can now use popular mobile payments

Alipay app for tourists - Shanghai

Alipay and WeChat pay are widely used in China and now travelers to the country can use them, too. Taking a trip to mainland China? You might be glad to know that there is a WeChat pay and Alipay app for tourists now available. Alibaba and WeChat announced that travelers to the country will be able to link their international cards to their payment apps. This move will make it more convenient for tourists to buy goods in China. Prior to the roll out of these mobile payment options for…

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Unique WeChat QR codes give business clients a way to access more customer data

WeChat QR Codes - Produce with QR codes

Tencent wants to focus more on its business clients than its users. A unique kind of WeChat QR codes are being rolled out as part of a new service that gives business clients the chance to use these codes on every single one of their products. This will allow Tencent’s business clients access to more data on each of their customers. The service will provide companies with better tracking data. The WeChat QR codes are part of Tencent’s latest move to focus on business clients, rather than its users. The…

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Chinese mobile payments taking off as country moves toward cashlessness

Chinese mobile payments

A growing number of cities throughout the nation are accepting smartphone transactions for public transit. Chinese mobile payments are becoming increasingly valuable as residents, merchants and services adopt its use on a rising basis. During the quarter running from July through September 2017, their value tripled. Alipay and WeChat Pay use has been spreading like wildfire throughout Chinese cities. Consumers are using these Chinese mobile payments apps to pay for products, services, tickets and even high yield financial products. During that same quarter, the transactions in the country totaled an…

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QR code payment fraud in China’s radar with new caps

china QR code payment fraud globe

As popular as the mobile transactions may be, the country’s central bank is issuing new security regulations. China’s central bank is rolling out new regulations to help prevent QR code payment fraud. Quick response codes have become exceptionally popular in the country but have exposed consumers to fraudulent activities from criminals. Some of the most popular mobile payments apps in China currently use the barcodes to complete transactions. Both WeChat and Alibaba’s AliPay – two of the largest mobile payments apps in the country – use QR code payment technology…

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