Tracking COVID-19 With Geolocation And Facial Recognition: Logistics And Concerns

In an attempt to halt the spread of COVID-19 and enforce social-distancing practices, the US government is reaching out to various companies in the private sector, including social media companies and telecommunications providers, to use existing technology, including app-enabled geolocation features and facial recognition technology. The government hopes that the use of this information will provide them with a better understanding of how the virus is spreading globally and whether or not individuals are practicing appropriate social distancing measures. Unsurprisingly, a variety of privacy considerations have arisen as a result of this information-sharing between the public and private sector write Glenn Brown and Kristin Bryan. (pp. 14-15)