Coronavirus: the use of personal data in Taiwan is debating

Text by: Adrien Simorre Follow

Can personal data, and in particular geolocation, be useful in combating the Covid-19 epidemic? In Taiwan, often presented as a model in the fight against the coronavirus, and which counts only 5 dead, the government uses the telephone signal to monitor the people placed in quarantine. Reportage.

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From our correspondent in Taipei,

On Hong-Wei Jyan's computer, a map of Taiwan displays the position of 19,000 points in real time: 19,000 people in total monitored after a trip abroad or contact with a patient. Hong-wei Jyan is responsible for cybersecurity in the Taiwanese government.

“ We use the telephone signal. It is not as precise as the GPS signal, but it helps to find a balance between surveillance and protection of privacy, ”he explains.

According to the polls, the Taiwanese are quite satisfied with the measure, in particular because it concerns only a tiny part of the population. But that does not prevent some concerns as in the collective g0v , a group of Taiwanese civic hackers.

" In reality, it is very dangerous because it is not decided by a judge, it is the government which chooses to follow such or such person. This means that the government can know where you are, ”said Lisa, a member of the collective.

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The authorities assure that the system will stop as soon as the epidemic ends. Taiwanese activists, they will watch the grain, like Tammy, member of the collective.

“ I think that after a while, power will return to the people. Not because I trust the government, but because I trust the Taiwanese to monitor the government, and recover this right, "she comments.

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