Contact tracing in times of health crisis: privacy and data protection lessons for future preparedness

This paper examines the connection between the use of tracing applications such as those in COVID-19 pandemic and the legal issues pertaining to privacy and data protection. It explores how various contact tracing app designs might either mitigate or increase the risks of privacy infringement and personal data breaches. It finds that the COVID-19 applications had faced a variety of difficulties, including security dangers, privacy concerns, political, ethical, and legal uncertainties, as well as issues with standards. The rise of contact tracing techniques and monitoring technologies allows countries to opt for a centralised or decentralised approach. The paper argues that contact tracing apps should operate on a decentralised approach and should collect as limited personal data as feasible. This paper can help us to take lessons from COVID-19 tracing apps to ensure privacy and data protection are adequately addressed for our future crisis preparedness.