Experts warn: High-tech tools to fight Covid-19 pose their own risks

Thermal imaging technology designed to detect fevers also is prone to error, yet such scanners are rapidly being put to use in European supermarkets, stadiums and museums, said the report by AlgorithmWatch and Bertelsman. — Reuters

SANTA CRUZ, California: A range of technologies designed to combat the spread of Covid-19 is being deployed across Europe, from tracking apps to infrared cameras, posing a threat to individual digital rights and privacy, a report warned on Sept 1.

Using such tools, despite the urgency surrounding the pandemic, calls for proper oversight and should not be rushed, said the report by Germany’s AlgorithmWatch, a digital rights group, and Bertelsmann Foundation.