In Singapore, police have access to data from anti-Covid-19 tracking tools
After launching an inefficient application in March, the Singapore government launched the use of tracking tokens.
AP Photo / YK Chan
Text by: Gabrielle Maréchaux Follow
3 min
In Singapore, the authorities acknowledged that the data from the tracing tools launched to combat the spread of Covid-19 had been consulted by the police.
A revelation which contradicts the confidentiality guarantees of the authorities stated previously.
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It was a finding that did not surprise Phil Robertson, head of Human Rights Watch Asia: “
Singapore has repeatedly violated the privacy rights of its citizens.
And we were worried from the time these tracking tools were launched that this would pose new problems.
There are really double standards in Singapore: the government can easily attack criticism of it by claiming that everything they say is not true, that it is fake news, and take action. against them, but when the government lies or refuses to provide information, all is well
”.
A speech that worries
For Kirsten Ham, a Singaporean activist who refuses to download the non-compulsory tracking application for the moment, the means deployed by Singapore to develop these tools raise questions: "The
more they invest time, money, energy and the people in those tools plus I'm worried it's not going to be something sustainable Because you know if they put that many dollars into it and if they gave themselves that possibility, what guarantee do we have that they will stop to use them?
".
Because since the start of the pandemic, she recalls, the authorities' discourse has gradually evolved: "
When they launched the tracing device, they said that it would be on a voluntary basis, that they would not collect your information. ID card number etc.
Then there were more and more requirements they started collecting the identity card number of people, then in June, they launched in addition to the tracking application,
the
collective
tracking token
”.
Tracing tools on the way to becoming mandatory
80% of Singaporeans now use the app or the token, an impressive number that Kirsten explains by the government's announcement that these tracking tools will soon be required to enter a business or school, and by a promise made as well. , that of relaxing the rules of social distancing if a large majority of people were equipped.
In this way, by wishing these fellow citizens a happy New Year, Prime Minister Lee Hsieng Loong welcomed the success of the tracking devices at the end of February and announced that Singaporeans could now meet at eight people, against five previously.
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