Digital Contact Tracing Applications (DCTAs)

Abstract

Abstract Digital Contact Tracing Applications (DCTAs) can collect large amounts of personally identifiable information. The approach taken by public health officials in using DCTAs could impact individual rights such as autonomy and the right to informed consent. Approaches that lean towards mandatory use of DCTAs, could impact autonomy and informed consent more than other approaches. This chapter argues that given the state of emergency and extreme circumstances during a pandemic the scale of Covid-19, we ought to follow a public health ethics approach even if it impacts individual autonomy and informed consent to some extent, until such time when the risks are not as high and more information is available.