In Moscow, facial-recognition cameras are playing a key role in combatting the coronavirus. The city rolled out the technology just before the epidemic, ignoring concerns over such sophisticated state surveillance.<br />Since last month, thousands of Muscovites have been confined to their flats for 14 days of compulsory quarantine after travelling to virus-hit countries, contacting those infected or being diagnosed with mild symptoms.<br />Police log their details and warn them that sneaking out in the city of 16 million could lead to a five-year jail term or deportation for foreigners. <br />The city already had a tight network of 170,000 security cameras set up in streets and metro stations over the past decade.<br />Around 100,000 of these are now linked up to artificial intelligence systems that can identify people being filmed. The rest will follow shortly.
