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

“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.”

Change model: influence legislation

Created: April 13, 2020

WhatsApp limits forwards to reduce viral disinformation

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

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

“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

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

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

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.”

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

“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.”

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

“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). “

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

Private Tracer

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

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

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