We define “mobile location data” as geolocation and proximity information from mobile phones and other devices. How is mobile location data being used to respond to Covid-19? What Is Mobile Location Data and How Is It Being Used to Respond to Covid-19? It includes illustrative cases, recommendations, and guidelines to help evaluate the human rights risks posed by the use of mobile location data. This Q&A explains the different ways that governments are using mobile location data to respond to Covid-19, the human rights concerns associated with these measures, and human rights standards that should be applied when using such data.
The long history of emergency measures, such as surveillance measures put in place to counter terrorism, shows that they often go too far, fail to have their desired effect, and, once approved, often outlast their justification. Mobile location data programs to combat Covid-19 may not be scientifically necessary and could lead to human rights abuses if they are not equipped with effective safeguards to protect privacy.
Human Rights Watch is particularly concerned about proposals for the use of mobile location data in the Covid-19 response because the data usually contains sensitive and revealing insights about people’s identity, location, behavior, associations, and activities. While some see technological solutions as a critical tool for contact tracing, quarantine enforcement, tracking the spread of the virus, and allocating medical resources, these practices raise significant human rights concerns. Governments and the private sector are increasingly relying on data-driven technologies to help contain the novel coronavirus, Covid-19.
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