The Home Office and the UK Ministry of Justice plan to require immigrants with criminal records to wear watches with facial recognition to track them. The Guardian writes about it.

As designed by the authorities, the devices will be able to take up to five photos per day and send data to law enforcement along with geolocation. It only concerns foreigners convicted of a crime.

Authorities called for “daily monitoring of persons subject to immigration control”. They recommended that all such persons coming to the UK should wear ankle bracelets or smart watches at all times.

In May 2022, the British government awarded Buddi Limited a £6m contract. The firm has developed a wristband to monitor the elderly at risk of falling. Presumably the same company will create a device for law enforcement that can take pictures for further screening.

Lawyers criticized the authorities’ proposals. According to Monish Bhatt, professor of criminology at Birkbeck, University of London, the Home Office does not yet know how long people will be under surveillance.

“They didn’t provide any evidence to show the need for electronic monitoring or to show that tags make people better comply with immigration laws. We need humane, non-degrading solutions at the community level,” he said.

Recall that the British police in July started a roadside van test to detect violations by drivers.

That same month, human rights activists demanded that facial recognition be banned from shoppers in supermarkets in the south of England.

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