Security News > 2020 > April > Rights groups appeal to governments over COVID-19 surveillance
Digital and human rights groups have joined in a rare worldwide appeal to governments to respect privacy when handling the COVID-19 crisis.
Signatories included technology-focused groups such as AI Now, Algorithm Watch, and the World Wide Web Foundation, along with human rights groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
The human rights framework is designed to ensure that different rights can be carefully balanced to protect individuals and wider societies.
Now more than ever, governments must rigorously ensure that any restrictions to these rights is in line with long-established human rights safeguards.
Watch out for algorithmic bias against marginalised populations in surveillance and big data systems, including racial groups and those living in poverty.