Security News > 2020 > March > Privacy Rights May Become Next Victim of Killer Pandemic
Digital surveillance and smartphone technology may prove helpful in containing the coronavirus pandemic - but some activists fear this could mean lasting harm to privacy and digital rights.
These moves have prompted soul-searching by privacy activists who acknowledge the need for technology to save lives while fretting over the potential for abuse.
"There is a risk these tools will become normalized and continue even after the pandemic slows," said Darrell West, who heads the Brookings Institution's Center for Technology Innovation.
Since the pandemic began several apps have been developed which use the technology to track the outbreak.
A group of university researchers has developed a preliminary version of an app designed to allow people to share data on location and infections using smartphones' Bluetooth technology without compromising personal privacy.