Singapore to limit police access to Covid-19 contact-tracing data

A security officer monitors surveillance cameras with geo-fencing and crowd monitoring capabilities at the command center of the Changi Exhibition Centre amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak in Singapore. — Reuters

Singapore will only allow police to access personal data from its coronavirus contact-tracing app for “serious” criminal investigations, a move aimed at addressing privacy concerns among users and to safeguard against its unauthorised use.

An amendment to a Covid-19 bill – tabled in parliament this week – will only allow authorities to use data collected from contact tracing in investigations into seven types of crime, with strict penalties including jail for unauthorised use.