A major increase in state surveillance is a “price worth paying” to beat Covid-19 according to Tony Blair’s ‘foundation’.
The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI), founded by the former prime minister, says it could offer an “escape route” from the current situation we are in.
In a report, the Institute argues the public must accept a level of intrusion that would normally “be out of the question in liberal democracies”.
The paper argues global must choose one of three undesirable outcomes: an overwhelmed health system, economic shutdown, or increased surveillance.
“Compared to the alternatives, leaning in to the aggressive use of the technology to help stop the spread of Covid-19… is a reasonable proposition.”
The Open Rights group, dedicated to Internet freedom, has slammed the decision saying:
“There are many roads for the UK government to choose in lifting the lockdown and determining technology’s role within that.
A collaborative, privacy-preserving model would be best for preserving the trust and confidence of the British public.”
Watch below and SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel:
If one person is diagnosed with Covid-19, all those at risk can be notified automatically. But experts in the field cannot agree which solution is the most effective while simultaneously protecting privacy rights to the greatest extent possible.
The controversial paper recommends that official contact-tracing apps should be released immediately.
It also says there should be a “digital credential” to help lift lockdown restrictions. It would be a type of digital certificate that would identify those who have immunity to the virus and are fit to return to work, though it notes an alternative would be necessary for those without a smartphone.
The Institute argues that policymakers must adopt privacy-focused options when all other things are equal, and recommends open and transparent operation.
Among the series of other recommendations and possibilities explored in the report are “cross-referencing” data from healthcare systems and private companies in “real time” and sharing anonymised patient data in the search for a vaccine:
“The price of this escape route is an unprecedented increase in digital surveillance.
In normal times, the degree of monitoring and state intervention we are talking about here would be out of the question in liberal democracies. But these are not normal times, and the alternatives are even more unpalatable.”
Unity News Network (UNN) Staff Writer | To find out more details about our staff, please head to the About Us section on our website.
