Coronavirus: Is pandemic putting privacy in peril? Debate on

Making public details of those home-quarantined or tracking them through GPS may be well-intended, but they go against an individual’s right to privacy and will have larger ramifications on data security, according to tech experts and community health activists.

Recently, the Karnataka government publicised the addresses and travel details of those who have been home-quarantined, leading to a debate on social media.

Karnataka is among several other states to have taken this approach to ensure effective home quarantine. In Tamil Nadu, the government has made use of GPS tracking, tying up with private players.

Sarojini N, national co-convener of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JAS), said this goes against the principles of right to privacy while leading to discrimination.

The JAS — which is the Indian regional circle of the global People’s Health Movement — has written to Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, pointing out that such measures would cause fear, isolation and stigmatisation, instead of addressing the problem.

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“It will drive the disease underground, as people will not come forward for testing, and will likely worsen the situation…” it said.

While social stigma is one aspect of it, tech surveillance poses data security risks in the long run, observed Anivar Aravind, executive director at Indic Project, a civil society initiative that promotes Indian langauges in computing.

“Every surveillance tech company is using this as an opportunity to sell their technology. Telecom is a regulated sector and getting integrated into it is their dream. The problem is that such integration which happens during crisis continues later, too. Governments should instead look for open-source alternatives and lean data approaches such as Trace Together by Singapore government and Privatekit by MIT,” he said.

Further, one has to look at the Justice K S Puttaswamy judgement, which held that privacy was a fundamental right.

“Any curtailment of this right will have to fulfil a three-pronged step. First, there has to be a law. Second, it should be necessary, and third, the restriction should be proportional,” said Pallavi Bedi, Senior Policy Officer at Centre for Internet and Society.

“There is currently no law which permits the governments to publish such details and further the government should also show why the quarantine seals are not sufficient to achieve its objective. We are already hearing stories of harassment in housing societies. The government’s move should not have a disproportionate impact on people,” she added.