BIS国际清算银行-On-health-and-privacy_-technology-to-combat-the-pandemic_9页_1mb

BIS Bulletin Summary: On Health and Privacy – Technology to Combat the Pandemic

Core Content

This BIS Bulletin explores the use of technology in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, focusing on the balance between public health needs and individual privacy concerns. It examines various technological applications, data control models, and societal preferences regarding data privacy, drawing parallels with the use of personal data in finance to inform policy discussions.

Main Technological Applications

There are four major types of technological applications used to combat the pandemic:

1. Telemedicine

   • Provides remote medical consultations via mobile apps or websites.
   • Became more common due to reduced mobility and new medical needs during the pandemic.
   • Involves new intermediaries in some cases.

2. Flow Modelling

   • Assesses aggregate movements of people, such as how many pass through an area and how quickly.
   • Often uses anonymous and aggregated geolocation data from mobile phones.
   • Helps in monitoring social distancing compliance and predicting virus spread.

3. Location Tracking

   • Monitors individuals' locations to ensure compliance with quarantine rules.
   • Typically applied to people returning from high-risk zones or those in contact with infected individuals.
   • Widely introduced in Asia, particularly in countries with advanced digital infrastructure like China, Singapore, and South Korea.

4. Contact Tracing Applications

   • Tracks interactions between infected individuals and others, alerting users to potential exposure.
   • Effectiveness depends on user adoption (at least 60% for basic success, 80% for outbreak control).
   • Countries with high smartphone usage have an advantage in adoption.

Data Control Models

Two primary models for contact tracing apps are discussed:

• Centralised Model

  • Public authorities have access to geolocation records and can contact potentially infected individuals.
  • May be more effective in identifying and isolating contacts but carries higher risks of data misuse or breaches.

• Decentralised Model

  • Data remain on users' phones, and only user consent allows sharing with governments.
  • Uses Bluetooth to log proximity and encrypts data locally.
  • Authorities cannot identify users, which enhances privacy.

Societal Preferences on Data Privacy

• Trust in Data Handling

  • Trust in doctors to handle health data is higher than trust in governments or private companies.
  • In Asia-Pacific, trust in data sharing is generally higher, possibly due to prior experiences with epidemics.
  • In China and India, trust levels are the highest in the sample.

• Demographic Differences

  • Men are more willing to share financial data than women.
  • Younger generations tend to be less concerned about privacy than older generations.
  • These differences can affect the adoption and effectiveness of contact tracing apps, especially given that men and seniors are at higher risk during the pandemic.

Policy Implications

• Public Support is Critical

  • Successful applications depend on broad public support, which is influenced by trust in data handling and governance frameworks.
  • Transparent policies and clear governance can help build trust and ensure responsible data use.

• Legal and Policy Adaptation

  • Some Asian countries have adapted legal frameworks to ensure temporary and proper use of data.
  • European data protection authorities have been actively involved in evaluating and promoting trust in applications.

• Need for Differentiated Data Use

  • There is a need to differentiate between data use during public health crises and normal times.
  • Policies should reflect public preferences and ensure that data use respects individual rights.

Conclusion

The pandemic has accelerated the use of technology in public health, but it has also highlighted the importance of data privacy and responsible data governance. Balancing the benefits of these technologies with the protection of individual rights is essential for maintaining public trust and ensuring long-term compliance with digital solutions. The lessons learned from the pandemic can inform future policies on data use in both health and financial sectors.

Key Takeaways

• Technology has been crucial in combating the pandemic, but privacy concerns must be addressed.
• Effective applications require public trust, which depends on transparent policies and governance.
• Centralised and decentralised models for contact tracing have different implications for privacy and data security.
• Societal preferences vary across regions and demographics, affecting app adoption and effectiveness.
• The pandemic offers an opportunity to use digital tools for the public good, but data management must be handled responsibly to avoid long-term distrust.

References

• Apple and Google (2020): "Apple and Google partner on COVID-19 contact tracing technology"
• The Economist (2020): "Countries are using apps and data networks to keep tabs on the pandemic"
• Ferretti et al (2020): "Quantifying SARS-CoV-2 transmission suggests epidemic control with digital contact tracing"
• Hellewell et al (2020): "Feasibility of controlling COVID-19 outbreaks by isolation of cases and contacts"
• Huang et al (2020): "How digital contact tracing slowed Covid-19 in East Asia"
• Jones and Tonetti (2020): "Nonrivalry and the economics of data"
• Middleton and Milne (2019): "Your DNA, your say"
• Raskar et al (2020): "Apps gone rogue: maintaining personal privacy in an epidemic"
• Servick (2020): "Cellphone tracking could help stem the spread of coronavirus. Is privacy the price?"
• Stanford News (2020): "Stanford researchers help develop privacy-focused coronavirus alert app"

Previous Issues in This Series

• No 16: Covid-19 and regional employment in Europe
• No 15: US dollar funding markets during the Covid-19 crisis – the international dimension
• No 14: US dollar funding markets during the Covid-19 crisis – the money market fund turmoil
• No 13: The CCP-bank nexus in the time of Covid-19
• No 12: Effects of Covid-19 on the banking sector: the market's assessment
• No 11: Releasing bank buffers to cushion the crisis – a quantitative assessment
• No 10: Covid-19 and corporate sector liquidity
• No 9: Buffering Covid-19 losses – the role of prudential policy
• No 8: Identifying regions at risk with Google Trends: the impact of Covid-19 on US labour markets
• No 7: Macroeconomic effects of Covid-19: an early review
• No 6: The recent distress in corporate bond markets: cues from ETFs
• No 5: Emerging market economy exchange rates and local currency bond markets amid the Covid-19 pandemic
• No 4: The macroeconomic spillover effects of the pandemic on the global economy
• No 3: Covid-19, cash, and the future of payments
• No 2: Leverage and margin spirals in fixed income markets during the Covid-19 crisis