Government employees in China have been caught exploiting facial recognition attendance systems by using paper masks printed with their coworkers’ faces to register attendance without being present. The incident occurred at the Lijiayang Community committee in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, where local media reported that several officials falsified check-ins using custom-made masks.
Surveillance footage showed staff taking turns clocking in by swapping the printed faces, with the system reportedly approving each attempt. One individual was able to check in for multiple employees in this way. Reports also claim the local Party Secretary was involved and was seen openly using a mask despite a camera positioned above the machine. Authorities have since launched an official investigation.
The case sparked public backlash online and renewed criticism of facial recognition technology, which experts say can be vulnerable to simple image-based spoofing. Previous reports have shown that low-cost printed masks can be enough to bypass some systems.