A Chinese woman was compelled to remove her makeup at Shanghai Pudong International Airport after facial recognition scanners failed to match her heavily made-up face with her passport photo.
The incident, which occurred in September 2024, recently gained widespread attention after a video surfaced on Chinese social media platforms. In the footage, the woman is seen using wet wipes to remove her makeup while an airport official instructs her to “wipe everything off until you look like your passport photo.”
The official further questioned her choice of makeup, stating, “Why would you do your makeup like that? You are asking for trouble.”
The video sparked a flurry of reactions online. Some users criticized the woman for wearing excessive makeup, while others sympathized with her, arguing that the public reprimand was unnecessary and humiliating. One commenter noted, “She was already wiping her makeup off and embarrassed enough. There was no need for you to keep going on like some naggy boomer.”
This incident highlights the challenges posed by facial recognition technology when confronted with significant alterations in appearance, such as heavy makeup. It raises questions about the reliability of such systems and the potential for human oversight in security protocols.
