COVID-19 technologies
Examining new data practices and emerging technologies in response to COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our societies, global finance, health systems, employment and state services. It the rush to understand and control the virus, as well as manage and mitigate its effects, new uses of data and emergent technologies have been developed at pace.
The grave threat posed by the virus has meant societies have accepted an unprecedented incursion of liberty and rights in the face of a clear social need. We’ve explored the conditions for the legitimacy of these new technologies through a rapid, online public deliberation, held during the first lockdown.
In addition, we have undertaken rapid and rolling research and discussion events into the ethics and efficacy of contact tracing, ‘immunity’ and vaccine passports and symptom trackers, as well as monitoring their emergence, uptake and regulation around the world.
Related projects
Vaccine passports and COVID status apps
An evidence review and expert deliberation of the practical and ethical issues around digital vaccine passports and COVID status apps
COVID-19 digital contact tracing tracker
A resource for monitoring the development, uptake and efficacy of global attempts to utilise smartphones and other digital devices for contact tracing
International monitor: vaccine passports and COVID status apps
A tracker collating developments in policy and practices around vaccine certification and COVID status apps as they emerge around the world
Tackling health and social inequalities in data-driven systems
Research to examine the interaction between data-driven systems and health and social inequalities, in the wake of COVID-19
Exit through the App Store?
COVID-19 rapid evidence review
Related publications
Checkpoints for vaccine passports
Executive summary of a report outlining the requirements for a socially beneficial vaccine passport system
Checkpoints for vaccine passports: Science and public health
Prior to deploying a vaccine passport system, it is essential to have scientific confidence in its impact on public health
Checkpoints for vaccine passports: Purpose
It is important that governments state the purpose and intended effect of any COVID vaccine passport scheme
Checkpoints for vaccine passports: Law, rights and ethics
Legal and ethical issues should be weighed in advance of any roll-out of a vaccine passport system, with guidance, oversight and regulation needed.
Checkpoints for vaccine passports: Sociotechnical design and operational infrastructure
Designing a vaccine passport system requires much more than the technical design of an app, and includes consideration of wider societal systems
Checkpoints for vaccine passports: Public legitimacy
Public confidence will be crucial to the success of a COVID vaccine passport system, and will be highly locally contextual
Checkpoints for vaccine passports: Future risks and global consequences
Governments must also need to consider the longer-term effects of vaccine passport systems and how it might shape future decisions