But critics worry that once such tracking systems are in place, governments may be tempted to use them for something else. The practice is effective, but it is problematic: Such data collection is prohibited in the European Union because of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which governs the processing of personal data. French smartphone app to help track virus transmissionThat’s the technology behind the TraceTogether application being used by the government of Singapore. “Any data collection can be problematic,” Simpere echoed. And such low rates of voluntary tracking could tempt governments – despite the political risks of such a move – into making the collection of location data mandatory.

Source: The Express Tribune April 10, 2020 08:26 UTC