Liberties and partners investigated contact tracing apps in 9 EU countries. We found that these apps likely had negligible impact, if any, on the spread of the pandemic, while governments unfairly blame privacy-friendly design to distract from inefficacy.
COVID-19 tracing apps in Europe did not become mass surveillance tools. Nevertheless, governments gave too much power to Big Tech and too little agency to citizens.
Saving face was more important to German policymakers than protecting personal data or ensuring transparency in the fight against the pandemic, as shown by a new study that investigated the mismanagement of rival local contact tracing apps.
What can we learn from Germany’s rush to create two coronavirus tracing apps? Quite a lot – but maybe not what you’d guess.
Rights International Spain, our Spanish member organization, has released its report on the county's coronavirus contact tracing app, finding irregularities in the app’s data protection impact assessment and risk analysis.
Together we’re making the difference
When the many put our resources together, we defeat the few who think they hold all the power. Join us to bring rights to life for all of us.
Be a part of protecting our freedoms
We have
- Created the largest fund for democracy groups in the EU
- Got new powers to cut off EU funding to autocrats
- Written new EU rules to protect journalists & campaigners from bogus lawsuits
- Trained over 400 rights defenders to supercharge the campaigns you care for
Together we’re making the difference
When the many put our resources together, we defeat the few who think they hold all the power. Join us to bring rights to life for all of us.
Knowledge Hub: COVID-19 Contact Tracing Apps in the EU
Knowledge Hub: COVID-19 Contact Tracing Apps in the EU
Research carried out across all EU countries and the UK by the Liberties network has found that the contact-tracing apps developed by governments to monitor people’s exposure to COVID-19 did not lead to mass surveillance, partly thanks to the BigTech.
Subscribe to stay in
the loop
You will get the latest reports before everyone else!
You can follow what we are doing for your right!
You will know about our achivements!