Month: April 2020

A coronavirus safeguards bill for the UK – protections for digital interventions

Jonathan DonnerIdentity and Privacy

“This short Bill attempts to provide safeguards in relation to the symptom tracking and contact tracing apps that are currently being rolled out in the UK; and anticipates minimum safeguards that will be needed if we move on to a roll out of “immunity certificates” in the near future.”

screen grab of download page for the paper
The Coronavirus (Safeguards) Bill 2020: Proposed protections for digital interventions and in relation to immunity certificates
Prof Lilian Edwards, University of Newcastle
Dr Michael Veale, University College London
Dr Orla Lynskey, London School of Economics
Carly Kind, Ada Lovelace Institute
Rachel Coldicutt, Careful Industries

Change model: influence legislation

Created: April 13, 2020

WhatsApp limits forwards to reduce viral disinformation

Jonathan DonnerPublic Sphere
WhatsApp introduces new limit on message forwards to fight spread of misinformation – TechCrunch
WhatsApp is imposing additional restriction on how frequently a message can be shared on its platform in its latest effort to curtail the spread of misinformation. The Facebook -owned instant messaging service said today that any message that has been forwarded five or more times will now face a new…

While Facebook and YouTube might be changing content moderation approaches, this move by WhatsApp is a structural approach, reducing the number of times a message can be forwarded. Will it stay in place after the pandemic recedes?

It is a powerful change model, as WhatsApp knows it can literally encode (shape) the terms on which speech and ideas can spread between people.

COVID-19 Civic Freedom Tracker

Jonathan DonnerIdentity and Privacy, Public Sphere

Keep Civic Space Healthy. This tracker monitors government responses to the pandemic that affect civic freedoms and human rights, focusing on emergency laws.

COVID-19 Civic Freedom Tracker
The COVID-19 Civic Freedom Tracker follows governmental responses to the coronavirus pandemic that affects civic freedoms and human rights, with a focus on emergency laws.

The change model implied by this organizational action is that an updated tracker will help policymakers remain alert to the risks to civic freedom emerging from the COVID-19 responses.

Index launches global project to map media freedom during coronavirus crisis

Jonathan DonnerPublic Sphere

“We have created this monitoring map, in conjunction with Justice for Journalists Foundation, to track media violations during the coronavirus crisis. It reports on the detention or arrest of journalists and physical attacks. It also covers the introduction of new legislation or changes to existing laws that threaten to stop journalists from doing their jobs and social media restrictions that threaten the free reporting of information.”

Index
Index launches global project to map media freedom during COVID-19 crisis – IFEX
The current crisis has seen an increase in attacks and violations against the media, as well as other alarming news pertaining to privacy and freedoms. Once these freedoms are eroded they are hard to get back.

The change model implied by this organizational action is that an updated tracker will help policymakers remain alert to the risks to media freedom emerging from the COVID-19 responses.

Tracking COVID-19 Digital Rights Violations in Central/Eastern Europe

Jonathan DonnerIdentity and Privacy, Public Sphere
Digital Rights in the Time of COVID-19 – BIRD
BIRN and SHARE Foundation are bringing you the latest updates and cases of arbitrary arrests, surveillance, phone tapping, privacy breaches and other digital rights violations as countries of Central and Southeast Europe impose emergency legislation to combat the COVID-19 outbreak.

The change model implied by this organizational action is that an updated tracker will help policymakers remain alert to the risks to digital rights emerging from the COVID-19 responses.

Mozilla COVID-19 Solutions Fund

Jonathan DonnerDigital Political Economy

“The Mozilla Open Source Support (MOSS) awards program, created in 2015, broadens access, increases security, and empowers users by providing catalytic funding to open source technologists.”

“Mozilla is announcing today the creation of a COVID-19 Solutions Fund as part of the Mozilla Open Source Support Program (MOSS). Through this fund, we will provide awards of up to $50,000 each to open source technology projects which are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in some way.”

MOSS launches COVID-19 Solutions Fund – The Mozilla Blog
Mozilla is announcing today the creation of a COVID-19 Solutions Fund as part of the Mozilla Open Source Support Program (MOSS). Through this fund, we will provide awards of up …

The change model implied by the organization’s action is that Open Source Software will continue to be an important part of the digital landscape, post-COVID-19, so it is important to encourage its use during the crisis.

Berlin ensures freelancers and creatives are included in COVID-19 relief

Jonathan DonnerDigital Livelihoods

“Authorities in Berlin, mindful of the role that entrepreneurs and freelancers in the arts and other creative sectors play in the city-state’s economy, were among the first in Germany to pledge financial assistance to them.”

‘Stress-Free’: Coronavirus Aid Flows Quickly to Berlin’s Self-Employed
Within days, Germany’s capital distributed money to 150,000 artists, shop owners, hairdressers and other small-business owners and freelancers to cover basic expenses.

The change model implied by this policy action is that gig workers will be an important part of the post-COVID-19 digital economy in the city, and are thus worthy of support during the crisis.

Pan-European Privacy-Preserving Proximity Tracing

Jonathan DonnerIdentity and Privacy

“A health crisis must not lead to a weakening of privacy that so many generations before us have fought for.”

“The development of this technology is based on three basic principles. Firstly, it is the result of close European cooperation. Only in this way can we bundle the expertise on the continent in an efficient and targeted manner. Secondly, the technology should be internationally applicable, i.e. interoperable across national borders. In doing so, the technology will facilitate the resumption of international business and personal travel. And thirdly, the technology should be in line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). “

HOME | Pepp-Pt
Pan-European Privacy-Preserving Proximity Tracing
(PEPP-PT) makes it possible to interrupt new chains of SARS-CoV-2 transmission rapidly and effectively by informing potentially exposed people. We are a large and inclusive European team. We provide standards, technology, and services to countries an…

The change model is based on promoting privacy-protecting standards during the crisis through code and backend service support.

Private Tracer

Jonathan DonnerIdentity and Privacy

Private Tracer is open source, privacy by design approach to contact tracing.

PrivateTracer
It Starts With You “Social Distancing” our best weapon against the Corona Virus Pandemic. We stand for Citizen Empowerment and Global Solidarity, because we believe that doing so, it will be a victory not only against the coronavirus, but against all future epidemics and crises that might assail h

Their change model involves creating code that empowers citizens to control and collaborate in tracking their own contacts

Digital Rights Ireland pushes HSE for data protection and privacy audits

Jonathan DonnerIdentity and Privacy
DigitalRightsIreland on Twitter
“To ensure public confidence, it is important that concerns about COVID-19 data collection are addressed comprehensively. With that in mind, we have written today to the HSE in the following terms.”

The change model for this organization is based on direct, public advocacy to policymakers.