In recent years, some governments have sought to introduce digital technologies into migration control systems, often presenting them—mistakenly—as alternatives to detention. Yet measures such as ankle monitors, tracking apps, and digital reporting systems too often replicate detention in virtual form. While they may not involve physical confinement, they nonetheless restrict liberty, undermine dignity, and generate serious social and psychological impacts for migrants and refugees.

This reality makes it urgent to distinguish between measures that constitute genuine rights-based and community-centred Alternatives to Detention (ATD) and those that merely shift detention into new formats. As IDC defines it:

“Alternatives to detention is a term that refers to any law, policy or practice in which persons are not detained for reasons related to their immigration status.”

Understanding ATD through a global lens

Through its global work and regional presence, IDC and its academic partners from Kaldor Centre and Refugee Law Lab have been able to gather evidence on how technology is being deployed in immigration detention and ATD   and in very damaging ways, mainly in the Global North and is contributing to the profit of some private sector companies. This perspective offers a comprehensive view of current practices and highlights both risks and opportunities in shaping a rights-based approach.

The report highlights that not every measure that avoids physical detention qualifies as a genuine ATD. Policies must be grounded in rights, dignity, and freedom, not in control and surveillance. Otherwise, technology risks becoming a tool that further entrenches detention under another name.

Principles for the ethical use of technology

The report From Surveillance to Empowerment, produced with partners, sets out 10 Guiding Principles to support governments, civil society, and technologists in ensuring that technology reduces, rather than extends, detention. Among the key principles are:

  • Necessity and proportionality: technology should only be applied where strictly necessary.
  • Avoiding digital detention: rejecting measures that replace physical confinement with digital surveillance.
  • Participation and agency: involving affected communities in the design and evaluation of measures.
  • Privacy and data protection: ensuring strong safeguards for personal data and transparency in its use. 

These principles provide a roadmap for shifting away from surveillance-driven approaches and towards solutions centred on protection, inclusion, and human rights.

Join us in building a world beyond detention

IDC is the world’s leading movement to end immigration detention. Our commitment is about creating genuine pathways to freedom, dignity, and rights for all people on the move.

📄 Explore our latest report and be part of the global conversation on how technology can—and must—be used responsibly:
 ➡️ From Surveillance to Empowerment: Advancing the Responsible Use of Technology in Alternatives to Detention