Are fitness trackers the next answer to fight Covid-19? Published: 14 September 2020 Commentary As contact-tracing apps prove less useful than hoped in many countries, other digital tools such as wearable fitness trackers are gaining in popularity for detecting or tracing coronavirus infection. But a reliance on such technologies comes with big questions about effectiveness and privacy. By Deepika Yadav
Can a national ID database ease the burden of Covid-19 in the Philippines? Published: 29 July 2020 Analysis The pandemic has increased calls for a national ID system to improve access to relief funds. Experts say that the proposed plan may not work and may put data security and privacy at risk. By Jasmine Shewakramani
How not to use tech in a pandemic - lessons from the UK Published: 30 June 2020 Commentary From legal challenges to delays, leaks and policy reversals, the UK has stumbled in its tech response to the pandemic. A full assessment of what happened will take time, but the record thus far already offers lessons for the future. By Frederike Kaltheuner
Germany’s epic corona-tracing debate: a risky game with public trust Published: 6 May 2020 Analysis The debate over the data storage model of a coronavirus tracing app shows how the German government’s search for digital infection control tools became caught up between public health officials, privacy experts and the US tech industry. By Vérane Meyer