The UK will use smartwatches and facial recognition to track migrants with criminal records
According to The Guardian, the UK’s Home Office and Ministry of Justice are set to use facial recognition smartwatches for migrants with criminal records. Such scanning of persons is planned to be carried out up to 5 times a day. These innovations should come into force in the fall, and it is planned to allocate £6 million (about $7.25 million) to their implementation, although it is not known how many watches will be released and how much each device will cost.
British technology company Buddi Limited will create custom devices to monitor specific groups as part of the Home Office Satellite Tracking Service program. The company’s website says it makes wrist-worn and clip-on devices that allow vulnerable people to alert others in the event of an emergency. The devices also have fall and location detection, which track the wearers’ behavior.
The plan of the Ministry of Internal Affairs provides for ‘daily monitoring of persons subject to immigration control.’ At the same time, you will need to constantly wear an ankle bracelet or smart watch. The system will require the user to take a picture of themselves on the smartwatch camera up to five times a day. The images will be checked against the biometric images of the person stored in the Home Office’s systems. However, any failed checks will require a manual check.
The scheme will allow the Home Office to track anyone 24/7. Location data will be recorded and names, dates of birth, citizenship and photographs will be stored for 6 years. Wearers of such a watch are also expected to obey the rules of curfews and restricted zones.
It said the watch would be granted to foreign offenders convicted of a felony, rather than to specific groups such as asylum seekers.
