Economist Podcasts An app for that: covid surveillance
Apr 6, 2020
Join Hal Hodson, Asia technology correspondent, as he explores the controversial use of digital surveillance to combat COVID-19 and the delicate balance between public health and privacy. Matthew Holhouse dissects the Labour Party's new direction under Sir Keir Starmer, discussing the political landscape amid the pandemic. Meanwhile, Evan Hensley highlights the unusually mild winter in the Northern Hemisphere, linking it to broader climate change dynamics and the potential implications for our environment. A thought-provoking discussion with diverse angles!
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Digital Surveillance for COVID-19
- Governments face the challenge of preventing new COVID-19 waves after relaxing social distancing.
- They are turning to apps and data networks for surveillance, raising privacy concerns.
Early Stages of Pandemic Response
- Digital surveillance is less useful during the initial spike of infections.
- Quarantining and isolating known infected individuals is more effective in this phase.
Contact Tracing Apps
- Contact tracing apps can help track the spread of COVID-19 by recording close proximity interactions between smartphones.
- This technology is being explored by various countries, including Singapore, South Korea, and European nations.