18 March 2020
Mobile phone operators’ data could be used to monitor success of coronavirus policy
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"Privacy campaigners have warned that a UK government plan to use mobile phone data to track the success of the social distancing policy needs to be carried out with “radical transparency” because of the authoritarian possibilities.
The Guardian reported on Thursday that BT and O2 have talked to the government about providing the data, which would be delayed by 12 to 24 hours and stripped of individual identifiers, to help the government assess whether people are following advice to avoid pubs, bars and restaurants.
Big Brother Watch said it was concerning that the deals had been struck in secret. “We need further explanation and much more transparency,” said Silkie Carlo, the privacy group’s director."
UK privacy activists raise fears over social distancing tracking - Mobile phone operators’ data could be used to monitor success of coronavirus policy (Guardian, link)
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