Corona pan(dem)ic: gateway to global surveillance
- PMID: 33100895
- PMCID: PMC7574394
- DOI: 10.1007/s10676-020-09569-5
Corona pan(dem)ic: gateway to global surveillance
Abstract
The essay reviews the digital emergency measures many governments have adopted in an attempt to curb Covid-19. It argues that those 'virologically legitimized' measures may infringe the human right to privacy and mark the transition into a world of global surveillance. At this possible turning point in human history, panic and latent fear seem to fog much needed farsightedness. Leaving the current state of emotional paralysis and restarting to critically assess the digital pandemic management can serve as an emergency break against drifting into a new era of digital monitoring.
Keywords: Corona; Covid-19; Digital technologies; Ethics; Human rights; Pandemic; Surveillance.
© The Author(s) 2020.
Conflict of interest statement
Conflict of interestThe author declare that he has no conflict of interest.
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