From Crisis to Control: Amidst and Postpandemic Data Protection Concerns in Singapore and Vietnam through the Lens of Techno-Solutionism and Efficient Violation of Privacy Rights

Abstract

Abstract The success of Singapore with swift digital contact-tracing strategies inspired Vietnam to adopt similar measures, which both have raised concerns about balancing public health goals with personal data privacy. These approaches suggest a trend toward increased surveillance, citizen involvement in pandemic response, and enhanced government digitalization in everyday life postpandemic. This article examines the approaches of Singapore and Vietnam to data governance in the public sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, using the theories of techno-solutionism and the efficiency breach to assess how each country perceived and handled privacy rights during the crisis. The findings show that despite differing data governance approaches, both nations face similar challenges in balancing public interests and personal rights. This balance is particularly crucial in their pursuit of Pareto optimality in data protection laws against techno-solutionism, a key consideration in the development of smart cities or nations in the postpandemic era.