Addressing Ethical and Legal Issues During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparison of Taiwan and Similar Countries

The use of technology to combat pandemics raises critical human rights concerns, such as transparency, accountability, and ethics in government administration.The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has set out some general principles for containing the pandemic and collecting, using, and further processing personal data, along with its deletion if it no longer serves a purpose post-pandemic.These principles incorporate controlling the virus's spread and promoting a rapid recovery for society.When utilizing digital data for contact tracing, it is crucial to consider human rights, relevant international laws, data protection, and personal privacy.This article examines Taiwans efforts to combat COVID-19, focusing on protecting civil and political rights, economic, social, and cultural rights, the legitimacy of anti-pandemic policies, and ethical concerns.Additionally, this article compares the pandemic policies of major industrial countries, including Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the United States, and Germany, to highlight these issues.