Brazil’s National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) has approved regulations requiring mobile phone users to undergo facial recognition with a live verification check to activate or maintain their cellular lines, as authorities seek to combat digital fraud and identity theft.

The requirement will initially apply to new prepaid mobile line activations before expanding to new postpaid subscriptions, number portability requests, SIM card replacements and updates to subscriber registration details.

Under the rules, users must complete biometric verification by scanning their faces and performing a movement-based check to confirm they are physically present. The biometric data will then be cross-referenced against public or private databases to verify subscribers’ identities.

The regulation covers individual subscribers and micro-entrepreneurs and will apply to registrations conducted through physical stores, mobile operators’ official websites and their applications.

Existing subscribers will also be required to complete biometric re-registration by a specified deadline. Mobile lines that remain unverified may face suspension for up to 120 days, with potential cancellation beginning May 1, 2029, if users fail to comply.

Anatel said the measures are intended to strengthen identity verification and prevent digital scams, identity theft, and the fraudulent or unauthorized activation of mobile phone lines.

The new rules mark a significant expansion of biometric identification requirements in Brazil’s telecommunications sector, making facial verification a central part of the process for activating and maintaining mobile services. (ILKHA)