March of facial-recognition technology raises alarm in India

Hikvision security cameras monitoring a pedestrian shopping street in Beijing, China. India is setting up a nationwide facial-recognition system to help capture criminals and identify missing persons and dead bodies. The plans have alarmed rights activists, who are concerned about the risk to civil liberties. — AP

India is planning to create the world's largest facial-recognition database, with the technology already being widely used by police, airports and even cafes. Critics fear this violates human rights and will turn the country into a Chinese-style surveillance state.

In Delhi’s central business district of Connaught Place, the Chaayos tea cafe is filled with people after a busy work day. The cafe offers a loyalty scheme for customers, who must usually give their phone number to sign up.