Watch the event here (closed captions available).
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused policy makers around the world to consider how and when surveillance tools and personal data collection should be used in the name of public health and safety. China, for example, has transitioned its existing mass surveillance tools to assist in its COVID-19 suppression, containment, and mitigation efforts. Even Western democracies such as Israel and South Korea have turned to surveillance and personal data collection to track infection patterns and control movement of populations. As the U.S. recovers from the initial shockwaves of the pandemic and seeks to answer questions such as who may safely return to work and how another massive outbreak can be prevented, policy makers will continue to confront the issue of how to properly achieve both privacy and public safety. What kind of personal data should be collected, and under what conditions? Do methods that have been employed elsewhere around the world violate core democratic values? Can tools be adapted for use in the United States so that they do not threaten privacy and civil liberties?