Thread by @BigBrotherWatch

🚨NEW: A law is in force *today* requiring venues to collect our personal data, or else be fined £500.

Pubs, cafés, restaurants, even workplace canteens must refuse entry to anyone who doesn’t want to share this data.

This change is huge. It's a mass recording of our movements.

As well as pubs, restaurants + workplace canteens, this law requires

sports clubs + gyms 🏋️‍♀️
heritage sites 🏰
arcades 🕹️
hotels 🏨
museums 🎨
libraries 📖
barbers 💇‍♂️
nail bars 💅
community + youth centres 👨‍👩‍👦‍👦
village halls 🏡

AND many other locations to collect personal data.

Venues must display Gov-issued QR codes which link to the NHS contact tracing app when it's launched next week.

Don’t have the app? You'll be required to leave contact details, the time + date of your visit, the size of your group + the name of any staff member you interact with

We always said a contact tracing app should be voluntary, non-discriminatory & non-punitive.

But the requirement to use the app to enter pubs, restaurants, gyms, libraries - or to give even more of your data if you don't use the app/have a smartphone - breaches those principles.

🛑 This new law is excessive, intrusive and poses serious privacy risks.🛑

The Government is increasingly relying on criminal sanctions to manage public health instead of trusting citizens to act responsibly with free will.

This approach is authoritarian. We will challenge it.

If you're adversely affected by this, whether as a customer, employee or business-owner, get in touch:

info @ bigbrotherwatch .org.uk

🚨Also new: if a restaurant, cafe, canteen, bar or pub has reason to believe the personal details you provide them are inaccurate (e.g. fake name/number) or incomplete, they are legally required to refuse you entry...