Robi Maddison Tech 07.15.2022 10:Jul AM EDT

Some Beijing Residents Are Upset With Mandated COVID Surveillance Device

(Photo : Weibo / Photo by 侠客岛)

A contentious debate over privacy issues erupted when some netizens claimed they were required to wear an electronic bracelet while under house quarantine in Beijing for the prevention and control of COVID-19, according to reports.

Although it is common knowledge that Chinese cities have doors fitted with movement sensors and that quarantine is currently required after domestic travel, The Register noted that this is the first time a tracking device has been recorded in mainland China.

COVID-19 Electronic Monitoring Wristband

Meanwhile, Reuters reported that local authorities in Beijing asked some citizens returning from domestic travel to wear COVID-19 surveillance bracelets. This was proven by Weibo posts from Wednesday and Thursday, where netizens claim that some residents returning to the city were requested by their neighborhood committees to wear an electronic bracelet for the required home quarantine period.

The wristband was given to returning domestic passengers in the Tiantongyuan neighborhood of northern Beijing, where they were required to wear it continuously for seven days, as per the report of The Register. The bracelet checks your body temperature every five minutes and is connected to your phone via the internet. The matching app can use the phone's camera, microphone, and location.

The news outlet said Beijing Microchip Sensing Technology and the government both worked on the technology's development.

Many Netizens Are Upset Because of the Surveillance Device

Users are concerned about how the software tracks users' whereabouts and what it does with the information. Tech blogger Dahongmao, who has over 170,000 followers, was one of the people who received a bracelet. He shared his experiences with his followers.

As per China Daily, because the device does not have China Compulsory Certification verification, he claimed he is concerned about its quality and does not want to wear it. The seal indicates that a product has undergone certification body auditing and can only be sold after fulfilling their requirements.

Some internet users questioned whether the device might trace a person's whereabouts, while others complained that continuous electronic monitoring violates people's right to privacy and threatens their spiritual security.

According to the product's instructions, it should be worn around-the-clock because it takes five minutes to record your body temperature. After downloading the software, users can access data such as the phone's location, camera, and microphone.

The Device Was Allegedly Taken by the Community

People from medium- or high-risk areas outside of Beijing need to adhere to the rules for home quarantine, according to Beijing Health Commission staff on Thursday, although no mention was made of wearing electronic bracelets. China Daily also reported that the 12320 health hotline stated that wearing a bracelet is not mandatory for those who are under quarantine, though it might be part of some communities' epidemic control regulations.

China Daily reported that the electronic bracelet has been pulled out because "there were too many complaints."

Reuters, on the other hand, noted that the concern about electronic bracelets arises as COVID fatigue spreads throughout China, where disobedience and violations have increased since a widespread outbreak in March.