Balancing Privacy and Public Health: Why Technology Is Essential Post‑Lockdown

Innovations in technology continue to offer hope in the fight against the spread of coronavirus. From thermal sensors that detect symptoms to contact‑tracing apps, Alicia Asin, co‑founder and CEO of Libelium, believes new tech holds a key to a safer return to normality.

Yet these advances raise an age‑old question: how much privacy are we willing to trade for safety?

Healthcare Innovation

In the news we’ve seen a surge of tech aimed at fighting COVID‑19: contact‑tracking apps, geolocation of cases, temperature‑measuring devices for public buildings and hospitals, and more. Technology could make a cautious post‑lockdown world possible, but many worry it might erode personal privacy.

There’s a bit of irony here. While half the world was locked down and health systems were strained, no life‑protecting measure was deemed excessive. Restrictions on movement, mandatory masks and border controls were all acceptable for protecting the vulnerable.

Privacy vs. Healthcare

Now that we’re reopening workplaces, some seem to forget those earlier pledges. They argue that protecting the vulnerable should not come at the cost of total data privacy.

These “privacy purists” think that simple barrier measures—screens, mask mandates and socially distanced desks—will suffice. However, such measures alone are inadequate for a virus with a high transmission rate. Without a failsafe detection system in every workplace, barriers and distancing alone will fail. Only a combination of contact tracing, dynamic temperature monitoring and other tech can give us even partial safety.

Should Privacy Trump Safety?

We are entering the next phase of our battle with coronavirus. Lockdown gave us time to build healthcare capacity, focus on vaccines and develop protective systems. Yet there will always be those who, in the name of privacy, want to limit these systems’ effectiveness. They have the right to believe privacy should trump safety, but they should not block those who want to use new technology to move beyond lockdown.

The author is Alicia Asin, co‑founder and CEO of Libelium.

About the author

Alicia Asin is the CEO and co‑founder of Libelium. She received the European Women Innovator Award in 2019 and serves on the Jury for the Princess of Asturias Innovation Awards.