Is Crisis Surveillance Justified? How COVID-19 Is Changing Cybersecurity

The coronavirus pandemic has reignited the debate over another menacing presence facing democracies around the world. That’s mass surveillance, which comes with the loss of privacy rights.

Countries like China have well-documented histories of spying on their citizens. Few were surprised by the even more intrusive measures imposed during their recent quarantine. From CCTV cameras fixed on people’s homes to loudspeakers and even drones announcing restrictions, China’s coronavirus response was terrifying. But was it justified?

Most free and democratic societies have long-standing constitutional declarations of rights and liberties. Privacy is considered a human right in most situations, but crisis times are different. War, famine, natural disasters, and terror attacks have all ushered in new standards by which we justify compromises of freedom.

This pandemic will likely be no different, and the compromises have already started.

• Many countries have implemented some sort of digital tracking system for those infected. They include the US, Hong Kong, Israel, South Korea, Poland, and the UK, among many others.
• In Israel, a “secret trove” of location data was authorized for use in health efforts to stop the spread of the virus. The fact that this data had been collected should be alarming enough. But the government-ordered surveillance brings to light a serious question: If tracking the virus can stop the spread, and stopping the spread will save lives — is this invasion of privacy justified?

If crisis times are different, then should we assume these amendments to personal freedoms are temporary? The unfortunate reality is that governments often use times of panic to sway the public toward policy goals.

This crisis has underscored the importance of internet access and private digital communications. It has also changed the way governments treat these supposed rights.

With most of the world quarantined, digital security is crucial. To protect your loved ones and your business, keep educated on cybersecurity trends and threats. Stay safe, everyone.

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