Privacy International (PI) has published an article highlighting five companies profiting from the GPS tracking of migrants seeking UK asylum. The companies in question are Capita, G4S, Airbus, Telefonica and Buddi. The detailed article outlines the role each company provides and the eyewatering sums of money they earn from the UK government for their surveillance services.
The report indicates that the Ministry of Justice awarded Capita with a GPS tagging 6-year contract valued at £229m, which was renewed in 2021 for a further 3 years, for £114m. G4S was awarded between £29m and £53m plus a further £22m for ankle tags. Airbus was awarded £10.4m for data and mapping infrastructure services, Telefonica received £3.2m and £7.95m for GPS tagging infrastructure services, while Buddi received £6m for the provision of non-fitted devices—The Guardian previously reported on that contract, which required migrants to scan faces using a smartwatch five times a day.
In a related article, PI reports on the impact of wearing GPS ankle tags.
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