The National Immigration Agency (NIA) has suspended the use of a face recognition system developed by domestic firm Papago Inc (研勤科技), citing reports of alleged data theft and national security breaches due to the use of China-made components.
Ministry of the Interior yesterday issued an order suspending use of the “Papago Face8” platform adopted by more than 100 NIA units for clocking in.
Taipei-based Papago is a major manufacturer of navigation tools, vehicle camcorders, and facial recognition systems, and is listed on the TAIEX. The company won a NT$6 million (US$190,852) contract to provide the NIA with the systems
Photo: Taipei Times
Chinese-language Mirror Media on Tuesday published a report based on insider sources’ accounts saying that the company’s facial recognition systems use China-made motherboards and software resulting in data leaks.
After the report, the ministry demanded company executives clarify the matter.
The ministry in a news release said that “until the issue is clarified, the use of the system by the ministry and its agencies is suspended to ensure protection of personal data.”
The NIA’s tender must abide by the Government Procurement Act (政府採購法), and the agency must require bidding firms to submit documents ensuring that their products are made in Taiwan and do not use “key components produced in China,” and conduct an acceptance test, the ministry said.
Papago chairman Jian Liang-yih (簡良益) yesterday in a public statement said that the firm’s facial recognition system is developed domestically and it conducts an internal testing before the release of its products.
The products are “made in Taiwan, he said, adding that “we have fully complied with the government’s procurement rules.”
He accused another company, Besense International Co (采森國際科技), of “tarnishing Papago’s good business reputation and undermining the market’s confidence on our company products,” by disseminating false information to the media following a business disagreement.
The ministry added that “besides the NIA, other agencies of the ministry and the Ministry of Economic Affairs have installed the system.”
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