A Chinese Airbnb competitor is rolling out facial recognition locks

Sharing someone else’s home is about to get even creepier.

The Chinese Airbnb competitor Xiaozhu is rolling out locks that open with facial recognition, according to the South China Morning Post. The locks are reportedly meant to address security concerns. But they will also assist the Chinese government in monitoring the comings and goings of travelers in China.

Xiaozhu is a Chinese home sharing company similar to Airbnb. Alibaba co-founder and executive chairman Jack Ma recently led a $300 million round of investment in the company. The facial recognition software will reportedly be provided by Alibaba. Read more…

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