New applications tracking user location to show if they were in contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, which are used by some countries as part of measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic, may pose significant risks to human rights, violating people's privacy, a prominent watchdog said on Wednesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th May, 2020) New applications tracking user location to show if they were in contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, which are used by some countries as part of measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic, may pose significant risks to human rights, violating people's privacy, a prominent watchdog said on Wednesday.
"mobile location data programs to combat Covid-19 may not be scientifically necessary and could lead to human rights abuses if they are not equipped with effective safeguards to protect privacy. The long history of emergency measures, such as surveillance measures put in place to counter terrorism, shows that they often go too far, fail to have their desired effect, and, once approved, often outlast their justification," the Human Rights Watch said in a report.
According to the watchdog, if countries introduce measures to limit human rights for public health reasons in times of emergency, these restrictions must be lawful, necessary, and proportionate. Therefore, to avoid human rights abuses, HRW along with other human rights organizations urges governments to respect privacy while taking technology-assisted measures.
Within the context, the watchdog has developed several recommendations for government using such apps. In particular, their use must be justified by legitimate public health objectives, continue for as long as necessary to curb the pandemic, be limited in scope and purpose and ensure sufficient security of any personal data collected. In addition, the governments should mitigate any risk of discrimination or other rights abuses against marginalized populations, take measures to protect against abusive surveillance and give people access to effective remedies.
