Security News > 2021 > January > Singapore changes the rules and will now use COVID-19 contact-tracing app data in criminal cases

The Singapore government has decided to use data gathered by its TraceTogether COVID-19-coronavirus contact-tracing app in criminal investigations.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Desmond Tan replied by saying that Singapore's Criminal Procedure Code means its Police can obtain any data for criminal investigations, including data gathered by TraceTogether.

Minister Tan replied that data for both witnesses and suspects will be accessed, but that witness data will be "Extracted" from the dataset.

Authorised Police officers may invoke Criminal Procedure Code powers to request users to upload their TraceTogether data for criminal investigations.

The Singapore Police Force is empowered under the CPC to obtain any data, including TraceTogether data, for criminal investigations.

Citizens may therefore not rebel at the fact that the TraceTogether FAQ still states: "The data will never be accessed, unless the user tests positive for COVID-19 and is contacted by the contact tracing team." .

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2021/01/05/singapore_covid_tracing/