In many instances of border violence, technology plays a significant role in amplifying the control and surveillance of people on the move and those working in solidarity. From drones and thermal cameras to mobile tracking devices, technology is increasingly used by border authorities to monitor, intercept, and supposedly deter migration. While often framed as tools for “managing” borders, these technologies contribute to a larger system of violence, reinforcing power imbalances and stripping away privacy and autonomy. The use of technology is not neutral; it is weaponized to enhance state control and the regime of fear.
We monitor the use of technology as a specific “tag” in border violence cases to track the growing militarization and surveillance of borders. By documenting how technology is deployed against people on the move, we try to expose its role in creating hostile environments where human rights are violated. Tracking this helps us understand patterns of state violence and how advanced tools are being used not just for monitoring but for controlling, oppressing, and criminalising people resisting Fortress Europe.
Technology also allows for less visible forms of violence, as it can be used to monitor and predict migration routes, enabling authorities to intercept people before they even reach borders. This surveillance-driven violence often goes unreported but is a key part of the broader strategy to make borders impermeable, pushing people into increasingly dangerous paths and strengthening the state’s attack on freedom of movement. By tagging these cases, we highlight how technology, far from being a tool of ‘security’ as it is often framed, is used to expand the reach of border regimes and exacerbate the violence faced by people on the move.
