Security News > 2020 > March > Covid-19 Poll Results: One in Four Prioritize Health Over Privacy

One in four respondents to a Threatpost reader poll said they were okay with sacrificing a portion of their personal privacy in exchange for some form of cellphone tracking that could - in theory - reduce coronavirus infection rates and save lives.

When asked, "For coronavirus tracking, do you think public-health benefits outweigh privacy risks?" approximately 27 percent voted "Yes - Privacy and data-protection laws should not get in the way of saving lives." Sixty-nine percent said, "No - A pandemic doesn't give authorities the right to strip citizens of their privacy rights."

The poll results come as a report in The Wall Street Journal details how U.S. officials are already using mobile ad location data to study how COVID-19 spreads.

Government overreach was a top concern among poll participants when asked "What are your top privacy concerns with coronavirus tracking technology?" Data being misused for reasons other than public health and safety was the number two concern with 28 percent of people expressing anti-tracking sentiments.

Four percent of poll respondents contended that privacy concerns around tracking depends on the individual case.

News URL

https://threatpost.com/covid-19-poll-results-one-in-four-prioritize-health-over-privacy/154218/