Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the pervasive use of facial recognition technology in real estate sales offices in China, highlighting privacy concerns and the lack of compliance with new regulations aimed at protecting personal data [3][4]. Group 1: Surveillance in Real Estate Sales Offices - Real estate sales offices are equipped with numerous cameras, often without clear signage indicating their presence or purpose [5][9]. - Visitors often feel the need to disguise themselves to avoid having their facial data collected and recorded, which can affect their ability to choose different agents [6][12]. - The cameras are used to track visitors and determine if they are first-time clients, with facial data typically stored for 1 to 3 months [6][12]. Group 2: Compliance Issues - The new regulations require clear signage and consent for facial recognition data collection, which many sales offices fail to provide [8][14]. - There are reports of companies collecting facial data without proper consent, leading to administrative penalties [20][21]. - Experts argue that the current practices violate the principle of necessity, as the purpose of data collection is not clearly communicated to clients [14][21]. Group 3: Industry Practices and Implications - Real estate developers use facial recognition to differentiate between direct clients and those referred by agents, impacting commission structures [13][22]. - The technology is seen as a "secret weapon" to control commission costs and ensure that sales staff benefit from direct sales [13][22]. - There are alternative methods suggested for verifying client identity that do not rely on facial recognition, such as using access cards or QR codes [23].