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after testing positive or receiving a high-risk rating; and for sharing
symptom data for further AI purposes) may lead to user confusion.
The use of symptom data in combination with other data in unspeci-
fied analytics may also create a re-identification risk.
Socio-ethics
Contact-tracing apps also raise social and ethical concerns. One con-
cern is that these technologies are being rolled out on whole pop-
ulations in a time of crisis and vulnerability. Technologies always
present societal risks, but developers have an ethical obligation
to anticipate these when possible; arguably, their responsibility is
greater in a time when vulnerable populations are being asked to
use untested and unproven technology. Bluetooth apps may err in
assessing the significance of proximity, for example if a physical
wall/barrier exists between two phones.24 AI-enabled apps may mis-
calculate infection risk. Such errors could have important adverse
consequences for users of the apps and, subsequently, for popula-
tion health. Security experts have warned of trolling that could dis-
rupt the functioning of such apps, including entering false symptom
data and carrying the phone around areas where there are many
people, such as grocery stores.25 Bluetooth also raises significant
security concerns which may leave users vulnerable to other types
of hacking and attack.26
As noted earlier, Bluetooth-enabled contact-tracing apps require
a significant uptake within the population to make a difference. If
uptake is insufficient, those who do adopt the app will be relying on
an inaccurate tool to provide them with information about their risk of
infection. Over-reliance by users is also possible given what we know
of “automation bias,” or people’s tendency to place unwarranted faith
24. Rob Kitchin, “Using Digital Technologies to Tackle the Spread of the Coronavirus:
Panacea or Folly” (21 April 2020), online (pdf): Maynooth University <progcity.
maynoothuniversity.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Digital-tech-spread-of-
coronavirus-Rob-Kitchin-PC-WP44.pdf>.
25. Andrew Crocker, Kurt Opsahl & Bennett Cyphers, “The Challenge of Proximity
Apps for COVID-19 Contact Tracing” (10 April 2020), online: Electronic Frontier
Foundation <www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/04/challenge-proximity-apps-covid-
19-contact-tracing>; Ross Anderson, “Contact Tracing in the Real World”
(12 April 2020), online: Light Blue Touchpaper Cambridge University <www.light-
bluetouchpaper.org/2020/04/12/contact-tracing-in-the-real-world/>.
26. Anderson, supra note 25.
VULNERABLE
The Law, Policy and Ethics of COVID-19
- Title
- VULNERABLE
- Subtitle
- The Law, Policy and Ethics of COVID-19
- Authors
- Vanessa MacDonnell
- Jane Philpott
- Sophie Thériault
- Sridhar Venkatapuram
- Publisher
- Ottawa Press
- Date
- 2020
- Language
- English
- License
- CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
- ISBN
- 9780776636429
- Size
- 15.2 x 22.8 cm
- Pages
- 648
- Categories
- Coronavirus
- International