STOP THERMAL SURVEILLANCE
The surveillance industry exploited the pandemic to sell intrusive and ineffective biosecurity theatre – including thermal cameras. That’s your body data, in other people’s hands, for no good reason. We stopped them in their tracks and established your data rights against unwanted biosurveillance.
Your legal rights
Learn more ↓
UPDATE: After raising the alarm over the use of thermal surveillance across the UK, we commissioned a landmark legal opinion that found thermal scanning is likely to be unlawful when lacking evidence.
Mandatory temperature screening is a lurch towards biosurveillance and pervasive health monitoring. We believe this important work provides legal authority on your data rights and could stop the surveillance industry from exploiting public health concerns to sell ineffective and intrusive surveillance tech in the future.
YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS
Employers and businesses can’t ride roughshod over privacy, equalities laws and data rights under the guise of public health. That’s why we’ve commissioned a ground-breaking, expert legal opinion on the lawfulness of mandatory temperature screening, for the use of potential operators and privacy advocates alike.
It confirms that thermal scanning engages data rights and that its use requires a solid evidence base and safeguards. Without these, mandatory thermal screening is likely to be unlawful.
We believe this important work provides legal authority on your data rights, and could stop the surveillance industry exploiting public health concerns to sell ineffective and intrusive surveillance tech in the future.
Read our blog for more information, or read the full legal opinion here.
SURVEILLANCE CREEP
The coronavirus pandemic was a gateway to even more unjustified surveillance of our movements and our health. Schools, workplaces and hospitality businesses invested in thermal screening technology to prove that they’re ‘safe'. But infrared scanners do not accurately measure core body temperature, unlike thermometers, and the MHRA has warned against their use. There is no evidence that processing this sensitive health data makes anyone safer.
Thermal surveillance represents yet another form of inaccurate, intrusive and unnecessary monitoring. Worse, it often combines other forms of surveillance like behavioural analysis and facial recognition, posing a real risk to rights.
INVASIVE
There are a range of reasons a thermal scanner might detect a high temperature. Most devices aren’t precise enough to detect the subtle shifts in temperature that would indicate a fever.
Weather, certain medications, alcohol consumption, pregnancy, menstruation, high blood pressure and other conditions can all impact a person’s temperature reading. Thermal screening means people will have to choose between disclosing sensitive personal information or being barred from venues.
No one should be denied access to their workplace, school or travel due to unreliable technology.
INACCURATE
Thermal screening has serious accuracy problems.
Claims that thermal cameras can detect fever are misleading – a camera can’t diagnose coronavirus, or any other disease, and suggesting that they can keep students, workers, and travellers safe only promotes a false sense of security.
One UK study found that temperature screening was just 0.78% effective at detecting coronavirus, and the medical regulator has made it clear: thermal screening doesn’t work and shouldn’t be used. But this isn’t just about coronavirus. Once this technology becomes normalised, it will be back.
OUR CAMPAIGN
We wrote to over 80 businesses, workplaces, schools, care homes, airports and hospitality venues, asking them to stop using thermal surveillance and to explain how they’re protecting sensitive data. Do you know anyone still conducting temperature checks? Let us know.
| Name | Location | Type | Confirmed Usage | Letter sent by BBW | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| King David High School | Manchester | School | Via website | 08/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Cardiff Sixth Form | Cardiff | School | Via website | 08/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Lakeside School | Liverpool | School | Via website | 08/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Woodcote Primary School | Coulsdon | School | Via website | 08/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Malvern St James Girls School | Worcestershire | Via brochure | Yes | 08/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Boarding School Association | N/A | School | Yes | 08/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Oasis Community Learning (academy chain) | London | School | Via website | 08/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Northcote Lodge | London | School | Via website | 08/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Broomwood Hall | London | School | Via website | 08/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Northwood Senior | London | School | Via website | 08/12/2020 | Unknown |
| One Degree Academy | Queensway | School | Via Social Media | 29/03/2021 | Unknown |
| The Pioneer Academy | London | School | Via Social Media | 29/03/2021 | Unknown |
| Oaklands School | Hounslow | School | Via website | 29/03/2021 | Unknown |
| Cobham Aerospace Connectivity | Marlow | Workplace | Anonymous email | N/A | Unknown |
| Airbus Helicopters UK | Oxford Airport | Workplace | Anonymous email | 10/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Mayflex (IP Solutions) | Birmingham | Workplace | Anonymous email | 10/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Lynas Foodservice | Northern Ireland | Workplace | Via Media | 10/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Amazon UK | Across UK | Workplace | Via Correspondence | 23/05/2020 | Unknown |
| Lloyd’s of London | London | Workplace | Via Social Media | 09/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Hill Hunter Partnership (fruit farms) | Across UK | Workplace | Via Tempscan Website | 08/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Woking Borough Council | Surrey (various locations) | Workplace | Via FOI Response | 15/01/2021 | Unknown |
| St Mungo's | London (unknown if being used at all locations) | Workplace | Via Employee | 16/12/2021 | Unknown |
| Passo | Old Street, London | Restaurant | Via Customer | 10/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Archer Street | Clapham, London | Restaurant | Via Customer | 10/12/2020 | Unknown |
| SWG3 | Glasgow | Restaurant | Via Customer | 10/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Bill's | Various locations across UK | Restaurant | Via website | N/A | Unknown |
| Bella Italia | Various locations across UK | Restaurant | Via website | 15/12/2020 | Unknown |
| cafe Rouge | Various locations across UK | Restaurant | Via website | 15/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Corbin and King | London | Restaurant | Via website | 14/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Eat Tokyo | London | Restaurant | Via Customer | N/A | Unknown |
| Granary Square Brasserie | London | Restaurant | Via Customer | 14/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Fox Lane Dental Surgery | London | Medical Care | Via Website | 15/12/2020 | Unknown |
| InHealth Group | Waterloo, London | Medical Care | Via patient (more info needed) | 15/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Balhousie Care group | Scotland | Medical Care | Via Media | 16/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Ninewells Hospital | Tayside (Scotland) | Medical Care | Via Media | N/A | Ceased Use |
| Carlton House | New Milton | Medical Care | Via Media | N/A | Unknown |
| Fitzroy Care Home chain | Coventry | Medical Care | Via Media | 16/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Homerton University Hospital | Hackney | Medical Care | Via Website | 16/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Zest Care Home | Birmingham (Bramley Court) & Northern Ireland (Three Rivers) | Medical Care | Via Website | 11/03/2021 | Unknown |
| Abbeyvale Care Centre | Hartlepool | Medical Care | Via Media | 01/06/2021 | Unknown |
| St Monica Trust carehomes | Bristol, North Somerset | Medical Care | Via Media | 27/05/2021 | Unknown |
| Kaleidoscope Plus Group’s West Bromwich care home | West Bromwich | Medical Care | Via Media | 02/06/2021 | Unknown |
| South Bank Dentistry | South Bank | Medical Care | Via Website | 01/06/2021 | Unknown |
| Manchester Airport | Manchester | Travel | Via Website | 15/12/2020 | Trial Ceased |
| Portsmouth International Port | Portsmouth | Travel | Via Website | 15/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Heathrow Airport | Heathrow | Travel | Via Correspondence | 15/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Bournemouth Airport | Bournemouth | Travel | Via Correspondence | N/A | Unknown |
| National Express | UK-wide | Travel | Via Website | 15/12/20 | Unknown |
| Luton Airport | Luton | Travel | Via Website | 15/12/20 | Trial Ceased |
| Stansted Airport | London | Travel | Via Website | 15/12/20 | Trial Ceased |
| Gatwick Airport | London | Travel | Via Website | N/A | Trial Ceased |
| East Midlands Airport | Leicestershire | Travel | Via Website | 15/12/20 | Trial Ceased |
| Edinburgh Airport | Edinburgh | Travel | Via Website | 02/06/2021 | Trial Ceased |
| London Southend Airport | Southend on Sea | Travel | Via Website | 02/06/21 | Continues Use |
| London City Airport | East London | Travel | Via Website | 02/06/21 | Continues Use |
| Network Rail | Across UK | Travel | Via Website | 02/06/21 | Continues Use |
| Flambards Theme Park | Cornwall | Leisure | Via Social Media | 18/01/2021 | Unknown |
| London Palladium Theatre | London | Leisure | Via Website | 18/01/2021 | Unknown |
| Nimax theatre group (Apollo, Duchess, Garrick, Lyric, Palace and Vaudeville) | London | Leisure | Via Media | 16/12/2021 | Unknown |
| W3 | London | Gym | Via Website | N/A | Unknown |
| Nuffield Health | London | Gym | Via Website | N/A | Ceased Use |
| Virgin | London | Gym | Via Employee | N/A | Unknown |
| David Lloyd | London | Gym | Via Customer | 18/01/2021 | Unknown |
| Triyoga | London | Gym | Via Social Media | N/A | Unknown |
| Apple store | Across Europe | Retail | Via Website | 18/01/2021 | Unknown |
| Furniture Village | England | Retail | Via Media | 18/01/2021 | Unknown |
| Singature Group | England | Entertainment | Via Fever Free Zone | 16/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Singature Group | Edinburgh | Entertainment | Via Fever Free Zone | 16/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Lush | Edinburgh | Cosmetics | Via Fever Free Zone | 17/12/2020 | Ceased Use |
| Edinburgh Baby Co. | Edinburgh | Retail | Via Fever Free Zone | 18/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Essential Edinburgh | Edinburgh | Retail | Via Media | 18/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Tribe Yoga | Edinburgh | Gym | Via Media | 18/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Meadowlark Yoga | Edinburgh | Gym | Via Fever Free Zone | 18/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Victor Hugo Deli | Edinburgh | Food | Via Media | 18/12/2020 | Unknown |
| Contini | Edinburgh | Restaurant | Via Fever Free Zone | 18/12/2020 | Unknown |
TAKE ACTION
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Do you know anywhere using thermal surveillance? Let us know and we will send them a copy of the legal opinion on the lawfulness of mandatory temperature screening.
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