Face-recognition gates are being installed in phases 1, 2 and 4 of Laguna City, home to about 8,000 households. The estate said the system had not formally entered service when it replied to i-CABLE.
Notices posted at building entrances said installation was under way but gave no date for use. The estate said the gates were intended to make access more convenient and improve property-management services.
One resident interviewed by i-CABLE said she had some concerns about privacy. A couple said they were not very concerned as older residents and welcomed not having to remember an access card.
Guidance from the privacy commissioner’s office says organisations should assess whether collecting facial data is necessary, consider other systems that could serve the same purpose, explain the privacy impact and give people an informed choice. It also calls for careful, proportionate collection and timely deletion of biometric data.
A property-management industry source quoted by HK01 said residents who declined face recognition had been allowed to use smart cards or passwords in previous cases. The source said access records were usually kept for three to four weeks; neither practice was confirmed as Laguna City’s arrangement.