Police arrest ant-lockdown protester in central London<\/p>\n
UK authorities are considering a new measure that would force people to send selfies every day to prove they\u2019re self-isolating, photos which would then be cross-referenced using GPS data and facial-recognition software.<\/strong><\/p>\n The Sunday Times reports<\/a> that COVID lockdown officials are looking to mirror policies introduced in New Zealand, where all new arrivals to the country are forced to check in to a \u2018quarantine hotel\u2019 at the airport for a period of 2 weeks.<\/p>\n Another potential enforcement measure would be to copy Poland\u2019s so-called \u201cenhanced monitoring\u201d system for those who are supposed to be self-isolating.<\/p>\n \u201cEach person is contacted once a day and told to send a photograph of themselves at the location where they are confined,\u201d states the report. \u201cThese are cross-referenced using GPS data and facial-recognition software. Those who fail to comply within 20 minutes receive a visit from police.\u201d<\/p>\n It is not known whether the new measure would also apply to UK citizens returning to their own country.<\/p>\n The new policies are being considered in the name of preventing new \u2018mutant\u2019 strains of COVID-19 from spreading in the UK.<\/p>\n \u201cConcerns that the pandemic response has been accompanied by a tendency towards China-style surveillance won\u2019t be assuaged by these plans to require a digital \u2018minder\u2019 in the room at all times,\u201d writes Conor Chaplin.<\/p>\n \u201cIf these variants are to be treated with such extreme caution now, for fear that the vaccines provide no immunity to them, how will normal travel ever resume, given that new strains are bound to keep emerging and vaccines can only be developed and manufactured so quickly?\u201d<\/p>\n As we previously highlighted, the UK\u2019s third national lockdown is being much more vigorously enforced, with police paying home visits<\/a> to alleged lockdown flouters while also arresting people<\/a> for sitting on benches.<\/p>\n New limited edition merch now available! <\/a>Click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n In the age of mass Silicon Valley censorship It is crucial that we stay in touch.<\/p>\n I need you to sign up for my free newsletter here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Support my sponsor \u2013 Turbo Force<\/a> \u2013 a supercharged boost of clean energy without the comedown.<\/p>\n Also, I urgently need your financial support here<\/a>.<\/p>\n