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<!DOCTYPE html>      <html class="no-js" lang="en" dir="ltr" prefix="fb: http://ogp.me/ns/fb# og: http://ogp.me/ns#"> <head> <meta charset="utf-8" /> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="https://www.eff.org/sites/all/themes/frontier/favicon.ico" type="image/vnd.microsoft.icon" /> <link rel="profile" href="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml/vocab" /> <meta name="HandheldFriendly" content="true" /> <meta name="MobileOptimized" content="width" /> <meta http-equiv="cleartype" content="on" /> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="https://www.eff.org/sites/all/themes/phoenix/apple-touch-icon.png" /> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" href="https://www.eff.org/sites/all/themes/phoenix/apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png" /> <meta name="description" content="Many of our digital rights are impacted by COVID-19. Now more than ever, EFF is dedicated to ensuring that technology supports freedom, justice, and innovation for all the people of the world. Surveillance. Governments around the world are demanding extraordinary new surveillance powers that many hope will contain the virus’ spread. But many of these powers would invade our" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width" /> <link rel="image_src" href="https://www.eff.org/files/eff-og.png" /> <meta name="generator" content="Drupal 7 (http://drupal.org)" /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.eff.org/issues/covid-19" /> <meta name="rights" content="https://www.eff.org/copyright" /> <link rel="shortlink" href="https://www.eff.org/taxonomy/term/11560" /> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Electronic Frontier Foundation" /> <meta property="og:type" content="article" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.eff.org/issues/covid-19" /> <meta property="og:title" content="COVID-19 and Digital Rights" /> <meta property="og:description" content="Many of our digital rights are impacted by COVID-19. Now more than ever, EFF is dedicated to ensuring that technology supports freedom, justice, and innovation for all the people of the world. Surveillance. Governments around the world are demanding extraordinary new surveillance powers that many hope will contain the virus’ spread. But many of these powers would invade our privacy, inhibit our free speech, and disparately burden vulnerable groups of people. Mindful of the stakes, we ask three questions when analyzing proposals that would provide greater surveillance powers to the government: Would the proposal work? Would it excessively intrude on our freedoms? Are there sufficient safeguards? Different proposals raise different issues. For example: We oppose dragnet surveillance of the general public to identify infected people. This includes dragnet surveillance cameras in public places that use face recognition or thermal imaging, and mounting such technologies on drones. We oppose monitoring quarantine of COVID-19 patients with ankle GPS shackles or compulsion to download tracking apps. We oppose giving police officers access to any COVID-19 public health data, including the addresses of people who tested positive. We oppose vaccine passports, immunity passports, and verified credentials of test results. Gatekeeping systems that require people to present a digital token of supposed health in order to enter various spaces are a worrisome step towards national digital identification. We oppose expanded surveillance by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services of people tested for COVID-19 and their families. We oppose automated contact tracing based on phone location data. It is insufficiently granular to identify when two people were close enough together to transmit the virus, but it will expose where we’ve been and what we’ve been doing. Bluetooth proximity is the most promising approach so far to automated COVID tracking. But no app will work absent widespread testing and interview-based contact tracing. Any app needs rigorous security testing and data minimization. No one should be forced to use it, including in higher education. Any use of aggregate location data to inform public health decisions need strict safeguards. Corporations in the COVID-19 era also are acquiring new troves of consumer data through partnerships with government, and deploying new technologies to surveil workplaces and customers. We need new laws to protect our data privacy from government and corporations. Free Speech. The free flow of ideas about COVID-19 is vital. This includes anonymous whistle-blowing about containment efforts, online criticisms of government responses to the crisis, and prisoner access to social media to tell the world about outbreaks behind bars. Governments will inevitably abuse any new powers to censor what they deem false information about the virus. When online platforms increase their reliance on automated content moderation, in part because human moderators cannot safely come to work, those moderation “decisions” must be temporary, transparent, and easily appealable. Platforms should take into account the Santa Clara Principles for transparent and accountable content moderation. We are troubled by Facebook’s plan to limit speech about public protests. Innovation. New technologies and ideas can help address the public health crisis. We must have free and open access to scientific knowledge about the virus. Tinkerers should be able to fix medical devices, and have easy online access to repair manuals. Open innovation in medical technology will save lives. The federal government should exercise its power to stop patent trolls from endangering COVID-19 testing and treatment, and should not increase patent terms for technologies related to this health crisis. Fiber For All. Social distancing is causing many of us to spend more time on the Internet. But not all Americans have fast and competitively-priced Internet access. So EFF is advocating for federal and state laws to redouble efforts to build better broadband for everyone. You can take action to support these bills. Because many people are not online at all, we oppose online-only vaccination distribution. Government transparency. Government decision-making about the virus must be transparent. When governments temporarily close the physical spaces where they make decisions, for purposes of social distancing, they must adopt new transparency accommodations, such as broadcasting their proceedings. While government responses to public records requests may be slower during this public health crisis, the outbreak is no excuse to shut them down altogether. Living More Online. We need better online access to books. As we rely on more online tools to make working from home and distance learning possible, Internet users should update their surveillance self-defense knowledge, for example, to make informed decisions about using online meeting tools, organizing online mutual aid efforts, and avoiding Coronavirus phishing. We need stronger protection from “Bossware” that snoops on every mouse click in our home offices, and proctoring apps that improperly surveil students who must take exams at home. Although musicians are under real financial stress due to the virus, mandatory automated filters to identify alleged copyright infringement are not the answer. Protest During COVID-19. People attending demonstrations during the pandemic should take special surveillance self-defense precautions. Police investigating protesters must not have access to COVID-19 public health information. Support Our Work! You can donate and download our ebook, EFF’s Guide to Digital Rights and the Pandemic, which includes our writings through May 4. You can show your support for digital rights during video calls with EFF virtual backgrounds, and learn more by watching our virtual “At Home With EFF” events. Lea nuestros artículos en español aquí y aquí" /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://www.eff.org/files/issues/covid-laptops-4.png" /> <meta property="og:image:url" content="https://www.eff.org/files/issues/covid-laptops-4.png" /> <meta property="og:image:secure_url" content="https://www.eff.org/files/issues/covid-laptops-4.png" /> <meta property="og:image:type" content="image/png" /> <meta property="og:image:width" content="1200" /> <meta property="og:image:height" content="600" /> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary" /> <meta name="twitter:site" content="@eff" /> <meta name="twitter:title" content="COVID-19 and Digital Rights" /> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Many of our digital rights are impacted by COVID-19. Now more than ever, EFF is dedicated to ensuring that technology supports freedom, justice, and innovation for all the people of the world." /> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://www.eff.org/files/issues/covid-laptops-4.png" /> <meta name="twitter:image:width" content="1200" /> <meta name="twitter:image:height" content="600" /> <meta property="article:publisher" content="https://www.facebook.com/eff" /> <meta itemprop="name" content="COVID-19 and Digital Rights" /> <meta itemprop="description" content="Many of our digital rights are impacted by COVID-19. Now more than ever, EFF is dedicated to ensuring that technology supports freedom, justice, and innovation for all the people of the world. Surveillance. Governments around the world are demanding extraordinary new surveillance powers that many hope will contain the virus’ spread. But many of these powers would invade our privacy, inhibit our free speech, and disparately burden vulnerable groups of people. Mindful of the stakes, we ask three questions when analyzing proposals that would provide greater surveillance powers to the government: Would the proposal work? Would it excessively intrude on our freedoms? Are there sufficient safeguards? Different proposals raise different issues. For example: We oppose dragnet surveillance of the general public to identify infected people. This includes dragnet surveillance cameras in public places that use face recognition or thermal imaging, and mounting such technologies on drones. We oppose monitoring quarantine of COVID-19 patients with ankle GPS shackles or compulsion to download tracking apps. We oppose giving police officers access to any COVID-19 public health data, including the addresses of people who tested positive. We oppose vaccine passports, immunity passports, and verified credentials of test results. Gatekeeping systems that require people to present a digital token of supposed health in order to enter various spaces are a worrisome step towards national digital identification. We oppose expanded surveillance by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services of people tested for COVID-19 and their families. We oppose automated contact tracing based on phone location data. It is insufficiently granular to identify when two people were close enough together to transmit the virus, but it will expose where we’ve been and what we’ve been doing. Bluetooth proximity is the most promising approach so far to automated COVID tracking. But no app will work absent widespread testing and interview-based contact tracing. Any app needs rigorous security testing and data minimization. No one should be forced to use it, including in higher education. Any use of aggregate location data to inform public health decisions need strict safeguards. Corporations in the COVID-19 era also are acquiring new troves of consumer data through partnerships with government, and deploying new technologies to surveil workplaces and customers. We need new laws to protect our data privacy from government and corporations. Free Speech. The free flow of ideas about COVID-19 is vital. This includes anonymous whistle-blowing about containment efforts, online criticisms of government responses to the crisis, and prisoner access to social media to tell the world about outbreaks behind bars. Governments will inevitably abuse any new powers to censor what they deem false information about the virus. When online platforms increase their reliance on automated content moderation, in part because human moderators cannot safely come to work, those moderation “decisions” must be temporary, transparent, and easily appealable. Platforms should take into account the Santa Clara Principles for transparent and accountable content moderation. We are troubled by Facebook’s plan to limit speech about public protests. Innovation. New technologies and ideas can help address the public health crisis. We must have free and open access to scientific knowledge about the virus. Tinkerers should be able to fix medical devices, and have easy online access to repair manuals. Open innovation in medical technology will save lives. The federal government should exercise its power to stop patent trolls from endangering COVID-19 testing and treatment, and should not increase patent terms for technologies related to this health crisis. Fiber For All. Social distancing is causing many of us to spend more time on the Internet. But not all Americans have fast and competitively-priced Internet access. So EFF is advocating for federal and state laws to redouble efforts to build better broadband for everyone. You can take action to support these bills. Because many people are not online at all, we oppose online-only vaccination distribution. Government transparency. Government decision-making about the virus must be transparent. When governments temporarily close the physical spaces where they make decisions, for purposes of social distancing, they must adopt new transparency accommodations, such as broadcasting their proceedings. While government responses to public records requests may be slower during this public health crisis, the outbreak is no excuse to shut them down altogether. Living More Online. We need better online access to books. As we rely on more online tools to make working from home and distance learning possible, Internet users should update their surveillance self-defense knowledge, for example, to make informed decisions about using online meeting tools, organizing online mutual aid efforts, and avoiding Coronavirus phishing. We need stronger protection from “Bossware” that snoops on every mouse click in our home offices, and proctoring apps that improperly surveil students who must take exams at home. Although musicians are under real financial stress due to the virus, mandatory automated filters to identify alleged copyright infringement are not the answer. Protest During COVID-19. People attending demonstrations during the pandemic should take special surveillance self-defense precautions. Police investigating protesters must not have access to COVID-19 public health information. Support Our Work! You can donate and download our ebook, EFF’s Guide to Digital Rights and the Pandemic, which includes our writings through May 4. You can show your support for digital rights during video calls with EFF virtual backgrounds, and learn more by watching our virtual “At Home With EFF” events. Lea nuestros artículos en español aquí y aquí" /> <link rel="publisher" href="https://www.eff.org/" /> <meta itemprop="image" content="https://www.eff.org/files/issues/covid-laptops-4.png" /> <title>COVID-19 and Digital Rights | Electronic Frontier Foundation</title> <link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.eff.org/files/css/css_ys5BgHL2TNyP6_lBf6AQ-QeeC9qTVIuIwGCz7AJJrJA.css" media="all" /> <link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.eff.org/files/css/css_A-JN-8aa1TwtCqQcy_vmUQJgA1ZgSBu-lBzYB6LT_hc.css" media="all" /> <link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.eff.org/files/css/css_Q1_YdopGt0ycefQT-IMYpxKoxVWbAkxYCbtf_C64SZQ.css" media="all" /> <script>/** * @licstart The following is the entire license notice for the JavaScript * code in this page. * * Copyright (C) 2025 Electronic Frontier Foundation. * * The JavaScript code in this page is free software: you can redistribute * it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License * (GNU GPL) as published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 * of the License, or (at your option) any later version. 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But many of these powers would <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/protecting-civil-liberties-during-public-health-crisis">invade our privacy</a>, <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/04/some-covid-19-surveillance-proposals-could-harm-free-speech-after-covid-19">inhibit our free speech</a>, and disparately burden vulnerable groups of people. Mindful of the stakes, we ask <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/04/how-eff-evaluates-government-demands-new-surveillance-powers">three questions</a> when analyzing proposals that would provide greater surveillance powers to the government: Would the proposal work? Would it excessively intrude on our freedoms? Are there sufficient safeguards? Different proposals raise different issues. For example:</p> <ul> <li>We oppose dragnet surveillance of the general public to identify infected people. This includes dragnet surveillance cameras in public places that use <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/face-surveillance-not-solution-covid-19-crisis">face recognition</a> or <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/04/thermal-imaging-cameras-are-still-dangerous-dragnet-surveillance-cameras">thermal imaging</a>, and mounting such technologies on <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/05/using-drones-fight-covid-19-slipperiest-all-slopes">drones</a>.</li> <li>We oppose <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/06/bracelets-beacons-barcodes-wearables-global-response-covid-19">monitoring</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/05/covid-19-patients-right-privacy-against-quarantine-surveillance">quarantine</a> of COVID-19 patients with ankle GPS shackles or compulsion to download tracking apps.</li> <li>We oppose giving police officers access to <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/06/dont-mix-policing-covid-19-contact-tracing">any</a> COVID-19 public health data, including <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/04/telling-police-where-people-covid-19-live-erodes-public-health">the addresses of people who tested positive</a>.</li> <li>We oppose <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/12/vaccine-passports-stamp-inequity">vaccine passports</a>, <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/05/immunity-passports-are-threat-our-privacy-and-information-security">immunity passports</a>, <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/08/california-tell-your-senators-ill-conceived-immunity-passports-wont-help-us">and</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/05/no-california-bill-verified-credentials-covid-19-test-results">verified</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/08/no-blockchain-credentials-covid-19-test-results-entry-public-spaces">credentials</a> of test results. Gatekeeping systems that require people to present a digital token of supposed health in order to enter various spaces are a worrisome step towards national digital identification.</li> <li>We oppose expanded surveillance by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services of <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/08/no-expanded-hhs-surveillance-covid-19-patients">people tested</a> for COVID-19 and their families.</li> <li>We oppose automated contact tracing based on <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/governments-havent-shown-location-surveillance-would-help-contain-covid-19">phone</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/05/global-contact-tracing-international-proposals-track-covid-19">location</a> data. It is insufficiently granular to identify when two people were close enough together to transmit the virus, but it will expose where we’ve been and what we’ve been doing.</li> <li>Bluetooth proximity is the most promising approach so far to automated COVID tracking. <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/05/governments-shouldnt-use-centralized-proximity-tracking-technology">But</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/04/apple-and-googles-covid-19-exposure-notification-api-questions-and-answers">no</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/04/challenge-proximity-apps-covid-19-contact-tracing">app</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/04/covid-19-and-technology-commonly-used-terms">will</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/06/germanys-corona-warn-app-frequently-asked-questions">work</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/09/covid-19-tracking-technology-will-not-save-us">absent</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/09/exposure-notification-technology-ready-its-closeup">widespread</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/12/ca-notify-app-useful-arrow-fight-against-covid-19">testing</a> and interview-based contact tracing. Any app needs rigorous security testing and data minimization. No one should be forced to use it, including in <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/07/university-app-mandates-are-wrong-call">higher</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/11/end-university-mandates-tracing-tech">education</a>.</li> <li>Any use of <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/04/how-protect-privacy-when-aggregating-location-data-fight-covid-19">aggregate location data</a> to inform public health decisions need strict safeguards.</li> </ul> <p>Corporations in the COVID-19 era also are acquiring <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/verilys-covid-19-screening-website-leaves-privacy-questions-unanswered">new troves of consumer data</a> through partnerships with government, and deploying new technologies to surveil <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/09/workplace-surveillance-times-corona">workplaces</a> and <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/09/exposing-your-face-isnt-more-hygienic-way-pay">customers</a>. <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/09/california-still-needs-privacy-protections-covid-tracking-apps">We</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/08/california-must-recognize-privacy-vital-public-health-efforts">need</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/05/two-federal-covid-19-privacy-bills-good-start-and-misstep">new</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/05/californias-lawmakers-must-enact-privacy-rules-advance-covid-19-efforts">laws</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/12/governor-cuomo-keep-police-and-ice-away-our-contact-tracing-data">to</a> protect our data privacy from government and corporations.</p> <p><strong><em>Free Speech</em></strong>. The free flow of ideas about COVID-19 is vital. This includes <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/right-anonymity-vital-free-expression-now-and-always">anonymous whistle-blowing</a> about containment efforts, <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/government-needs-critics-now-more-ever">online</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/08/eff-joins-splc-letter-georgia-high-school-expressing-concern-over-restriction">criticisms</a> of government responses to the crisis, and <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/now-more-ever-inmates-should-have-some-access-social-media">prisoner access</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/04/coronavirus-sweeps-through-jails-and-prisons-officials-crack-down-inmate-speech">to social media</a> to tell the world about outbreaks behind bars. Governments will inevitably abuse any new powers to censor what they deem <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/05/recognizing-world-press-freedom-day-during-covid-19">false information</a> about the virus. When online platforms increase their reliance on automated <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/12/how-covid-changed-content-moderation-year-review-2020">content moderation</a>, in part because human moderators cannot safely come to work, those moderation “<a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/10/facebooks-most-recent-transparency-report-demonstrates-pitfalls-automated-content">decisions</a>” must be <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/04/automated-moderation-must-be-temporary-transparent-and-easily-appealable">temporary, transparent, and easily appealable</a>. Platforms should take into account the <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/05/santa-clara-principles-during-covid-19-more-important-ever">Santa Clara Principles</a> for transparent and accountable content moderation. We are troubled by Facebook’s plan to limit speech about <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/05/understandable-nonetheless-troubling-facebooks-ban-person-events">public protests</a>.</p> <p><strong><em>Innovation.</em></strong> New technologies and ideas can help address the public health crisis. We must have <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/10/open-access-must-be-rule-not-exception">free</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/embracing-open-science-medical-crisis-0">and</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/10/why-open-access-necessary-makers">open</a> access to scientific knowledge about the virus. Tinkerers should be able to <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/06/medical-device-repair-again-threatened-copyright-claims">fix</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/right-repair-times-pandemic">medical devices</a>, and have easy online access to <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/05/balanced-copyright-rules-can-help-save-lives-during-covid-19-crisis">repair manuals</a>. <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/04/open-innovation-medical-technology-will-save-lives">Open innovation</a> in medical technology will save lives. The federal government should exercise its power to stop <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/feds-can-stop-patent-trolls-endangering-covid-19-testing-and-treatment">patent</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/05/new-low-bad-patent-patent-troll-sues-ventilator-company">trolls</a> from endangering COVID-19 testing and treatment, and should not increase <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/04/lengthening-patent-terms-10-years-exactly-wrong-response-covid-19">patent terms</a> for technologies related to this health crisis.</p> <p><strong><em>Fiber For All.</em></strong> Social distancing is causing many of us to spend more time on the Internet. But <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/social-distancing-digital-divide-and-fixing-going-forward">not all Americans</a> have fast and competitively-priced Internet access. So EFF is advocating for <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/05/house-legislation-guarantees-internet-access-those-affected-covid-19">federal</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/05/house-passed-legislation-keep-people-online-despite-covid-19-will-senate-follow">and</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/04/california-legislator-introduces-fiber-broadband-all-bill">state</a> laws to redouble efforts to build better broadband for everyone. You can <a href="https://act.eff.org/action/tell-the-senate-to-help-keep-americans-online-during-the-pandemic">take</a> <a href="https://action.eff.org/o/9042/p/dia/action4/common/public/?action_KEY=10954">action</a> to support these bills. Because many people are not online at all, we oppose <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/02/online-only-vaccine-distribution-will-leave-too-many-behind">online-only</a> vaccination distribution.</p> <p><strong><em>Government transparency.</em></strong> Government <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/governments-must-commit-transparency-during-covid-19-crisis">decision-making</a> about the virus must be transparent. When governments temporarily close the physical spaces where they make decisions, for purposes of social distancing, they must adopt new <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/eff-joins-coalition-urging-judicial-transparency-during-covid-19-crisis">transparency accommodations</a>, such as <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/time-now-supreme-court-must-allow-live-cameras-0">broadcasting</a> their proceedings. While government responses to <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/california-public-records-act-essential-right-even-during-state-emergency">public records requests</a> may be slower during this public health crisis, the outbreak is no excuse to shut them down altogether.</p> <p><strong><em>Living More Online. </em></strong>We need better online <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/04/sharing-our-common-culture-uncommon-times">access to books</a>. As we rely on more online tools to make working from home and distance learning possible, Internet users should update their surveillance self-defense knowledge, for example, to make informed decisions about using online <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/what-you-should-know-about-online-tools-during-covid-19-crisis">meeting</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/04/harden-your-zoom-settings-protect-your-privacy-and-avoid-trolls">tools</a>, organizing <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/06/staying-private-while-using-google-docs-legal-mutual-aid-work">online</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/keeping-each-other-safe-when-virtually-organizing-mutual-aid">mutual</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/06/staying-private-while-using-google-docs-legal-mutual-aid-work">aid</a> efforts, and avoiding <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/phishing-time-covid-19-how-recognize-malicious-coronavirus-phishing-scams">Coronavirus phishing</a>. We need stronger protection from “<a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/06/inside-invasive-secretive-bossware-tracking-workers">Bossware</a>” that snoops on every mouse click in our home offices, and <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/08/proctoring-apps-subject-students-unnecessary-surveillance">proctoring</a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/09/eff-tells-california-supreme-court-not-require-examsoft-bar-exam">apps</a> that improperly surveil students who must take exams at home. Although musicians are under real financial stress due to the virus, mandatory automated <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/04/copyright-and-crisis-filters-are-not-answer">filters</a> to identify alleged copyright infringement are not the answer.</p> <p><strong><em>Protest During COVID-19</em></strong><strong>. </strong>People attending demonstrations during the pandemic should take special surveillance self-defense <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/06/surveillance-self-defense-attending-protests-age-covid-19">precautions</a>. Police investigating protesters must <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/06/dont-mix-policing-covid-19-contact-tracing">not have access</a> to COVID-19 public health information.</p> <p><strong><em>Support Our Work!</em></strong> You can donate and download our ebook, <a href="https://supporters.eff.org/donate/pandemicguide--DL">EFF’s Guide to Digital Rights and the Pandemic</a>, which includes our writings through May 4. You can show your support for digital rights during video calls with <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/cc-backgrounds-video-calls-eff">EFF virtual backgrounds</a>, and learn more by watching our virtual “<a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/04/icymi-watch-first-home-eff-virtual-discussion-covid-19-and-digital-rights">At Home With EFF</a>” events.</p> <p><a href="https://www.eff.org/es/deeplinks/2020/04/how-eff-evaluates-government-demands-new-surveillance-powers"><strong><em>Lea</em></strong></a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/es/deeplinks/2020/04/how-protect-privacy-when-aggregating-location-data-fight-covid-19"><strong><em>nuestros</em></strong></a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/es/deeplinks/2020/04/thermal-imaging-cameras-are-still-dangerous-dragnet-surveillance-cameras"><strong><em>artículos</em></strong></a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/es/deeplinks/2020/04/challenge-proximity-apps-covid-19-contact-tracing"><strong><em>en</em></strong></a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/es/deeplinks/2020/04/apple-and-googles-covid-19-exposure-notification-api-questions-and-answers"><strong><em>español</em></strong></a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/es/deeplinks/2020/05/governments-shouldnt-use-centralized-proximity-tracking-technology"><strong><em>aquí</em></strong></a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/es/deeplinks/2020/06/bracelets-beacons-barcodes-wearables-global-response-covid-19"><strong><em>y</em></strong></a> <a href="https://www.eff.org/es/deeplinks/2020/05/global-contact-tracing-international-proposals-track-covid-19"><strong><em>aquí</em></strong></a><strong><em></em></strong></p> </div> <div class="panel-pane pane-donate-call"> <div><a class="compact" href="https://supporters.eff.org/donate"><img src="/sites/all/themes/frontier/images/button-donate.png" alt="" />Protect digital privacy and free expression. EFF's public interest legal work, activism, and software development preserve fundamental rights.</a> <div class="full"><span class="call">Protect digital privacy and free expression. EFF's public interest legal work, activism, and software development preserve fundamental rights.</span> <a class="button" href="https://supporters.eff.org/donate">DONATE TO EFF</a> </div></div> </div> </div> <div class="column side-content"> </div> </div> <div class="onecol column content-footer"> <div class="panel-pane pane-views pane-issues-related-content"> <h2 class="pane-title">EFF Related Content: <a href="/issues/covid-19" class="active">COVID-19 and Digital Rights</a></h2> <div class="view view-issues-related-content view-id-issues_related_content view-display-id-default teaser-feed view-dom-id-12277a480b7c263cda4ac0765d257a04"> <div class="view-filters"> <form class="ctools-auto-submit-full-form views-exposed-form-issues-related-content-default" action="/" method="get" id="views-exposed-form-issues-related-content-default" accept-charset="UTF-8"><div><div class="views-exposed-form"> <div class="views-exposed-widgets clearfix"> <div id="edit-type-1-wrapper" class="views-exposed-widget views-widget-filter-type_1"> <label for="edit-type-1"> Filter by Type </label> <div class="views-widget"> <div class="form-item form-type-select form-item-type-1"> <select id="edit-type-1" name="type_1" class="form-select"><option value="All" selected="selected">- Any -</option><option value="blog">Deeplinks Blog</option><option value="document">Document</option><option value="event">Event</option><option value="case">Legal Case</option><option value="press_release">Press Release</option><option value="whitepaper">Whitepaper</option></select> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-exposed-widget views-submit-button"> <input class="ctools-use-ajax ctools-auto-submit-click js-hide form-submit" type="submit" id="edit-submit-issues-related-content" value="Apply" /> </div> </div> </div> </div></form> </div> <div class="view-content"> <div class="item-list"><ul> <li class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first"><article role="article" class="node node--blog node--promoted node-teaser node--teaser node--blog--teaser node--teaser node--blog--teaser"> <header> <div class="field field--name-field-banner-graphic field--type-image field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><div class="teaser-thumbnail"><a href="/deeplinks/2021/11/data-broker-veraset-gave-bulk-device-level-gps-data-dc-government"><img src="https://www.eff.org/files/styles/teaser/public/banner_library/covid-breath-banner-2.jpg?itok=VAizQxqt" width="500" height="250" alt="Two people walking with mobile devices, broadcasting a signal" /></a></div></div></div></div><div class="node-content-type-byline blog"><a href="/updates?type=blog">Deeplinks Blog</a> <span class="node-author"> by <a href="/about/staff/bennett-cyphers">Bennett Cyphers</a></span> <span class="node-date"> | November 10, 2021</span> </div> <h3 class="node__title node__title"><a href="/deeplinks/2021/11/data-broker-veraset-gave-bulk-device-level-gps-data-dc-government" rel="bookmark">Data Broker Veraset Gave Bulk Device-Level GPS Data to DC Government</a></h3> </header> <div class="node__content node__content"> <div class="eff-translation-links"></div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><p>In the first weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, a location data broker called Veraset offered officials in Washington, DC full access to its proprietary database of “highly sensitive” <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/12/19/opinion/location-tracking-cell-phone.html">device-level GPS data</a>, collected from cell phones, for the entire DC metro area.The officials accepted the offer, according to <a href="https://www.eff.org/document/dcveraset-location-data-sharing-records">public</a>...</p></div></div></div> </div> <ul class="links links--inline node__links node__links"><li class="node-readmore first last"><a href="/deeplinks/2021/11/data-broker-veraset-gave-bulk-device-level-gps-data-dc-government" rel="tag" title="Data Broker Veraset Gave Bulk Device-Level GPS Data to DC Government">Read more<span class="element-invisible"> about Data Broker Veraset Gave Bulk Device-Level GPS Data to DC Government</span></a></li> </ul> </article> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-2 views-row-even"><article role="article" class="node node--document node-teaser node--teaser node--document--teaser node--teaser node--document--teaser"> <header> <div class="teaser-thumbnail"><a href="/document/dcveraset-location-data-sharing-records"><img src="https://www.eff.org/files/styles/teaser/public/pdfpreview/8e9f34cf3c0ace2e98be57233da840e6.jpg?itok=sy5PQRKz" alt="" /></a></div><div class="node-content-type-byline document"><span>Document</span> <span class="node-date"> | September 30, 2021</span> </div> <h3 class="node__title node__title"><a href="/document/dcveraset-location-data-sharing-records" rel="bookmark">DC/Veraset Location Data Sharing Records</a></h3> </header> <div class="node__content node__content"> <div class="eff-translation-links"></div><div class="field field--name-field-file-description field--type-text field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><p>These documents, obtained by EFF in response to a request for records, describe the relationship between Washington, DC and Veraset, a location data broker.</p> </div></div></div> </div> <ul class="links links--inline node__links node__links"><li class="node-readmore first last"><a href="/document/dcveraset-location-data-sharing-records" rel="tag" title="DC/Veraset Location Data Sharing Records">Read more<span class="element-invisible"> about DC/Veraset Location Data Sharing Records</span></a></li> </ul> </article> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-3 views-row-odd"><article role="article" class="node node--blog node--promoted node-teaser node--teaser node--blog--teaser node--teaser node--blog--teaser"> <header> <div class="field field--name-field-banner-graphic field--type-image field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><div class="teaser-thumbnail"><a href="/deeplinks/2021/08/vaccine-passport-missteps-we-should-not-repeat"><img src="https://www.eff.org/files/styles/teaser/public/banner_library/covid-passport-2.jpg?itok=w2xV1PkQ" width="500" height="250" alt="covid passport image with eye in background" title="vaccine passport" /></a></div></div></div></div><div class="node-content-type-byline blog"><a href="/updates?type=blog">Deeplinks Blog</a> <span class="node-author"> by <a href="/about/staff/alexis-hancock">Alexis Hancock</a>, <a href="/about/staff/adam-schwartz">Adam Schwartz</a>, Jon Callas</span> <span class="node-date"> | August 31, 2021</span> </div> <h3 class="node__title node__title"><a href="/deeplinks/2021/08/vaccine-passport-missteps-we-should-not-repeat" rel="bookmark">Vaccine Passport Missteps We Should Not Repeat</a></h3> </header> <div class="node__content node__content"> <div class="eff-translation-links"><ul class="links"><li class="es first last"><a href="/deeplinks/2021/08/vaccine-passport-missteps-we-should-not-repeat?language=es" class="language-link" xml:lang="es">Español</a></li> </ul></div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><p>Vaccine mandates are becoming increasingly urgent from public health officials and various governments. As they roll out, we must protect users of vaccine passports and those who do not want to use—or cannot use—a digitally scannable means to prove vaccination. We cannot let the tools used to fight for public...</p></div></div></div> </div> <ul class="links links--inline node__links node__links"><li class="node-readmore first last"><a href="/deeplinks/2021/08/vaccine-passport-missteps-we-should-not-repeat" rel="tag" title="Vaccine Passport Missteps We Should Not Repeat">Read more<span class="element-invisible"> about Vaccine Passport Missteps We Should Not Repeat</span></a></li> </ul> </article> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-4 views-row-even"><article role="article" class="node node--blog node--promoted node-teaser node--teaser node--blog--teaser node--teaser node--blog--teaser"> <header> <div class="field field--name-field-banner-graphic field--type-image field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><div class="teaser-thumbnail" style="background: #fcf8d5"><a href="/deeplinks/2021/06/decoding-californias-new-digital-vaccine-records-and-potential-dangers"><img src="https://www.eff.org/files/styles/teaser/public/banner_library/california-privacy-1.png?itok=09y53PWG" width="500" height="249" alt="California Privacy" title="California Privacy" /></a></div></div></div></div><div class="node-content-type-byline blog"><a href="/updates?type=blog">Deeplinks Blog</a> <span class="node-author"> by <a href="/about/staff/alexis-hancock">Alexis Hancock</a>, <a href="/about/staff/adam-schwartz">Adam Schwartz</a>, Jon Callas</span> <span class="node-date"> | June 25, 2021</span> </div> <h3 class="node__title node__title"><a href="/deeplinks/2021/06/decoding-californias-new-digital-vaccine-records-and-potential-dangers" rel="bookmark">Decoding California's New Digital Vaccine Records and Potential Dangers</a></h3> </header> <div class="node__content node__content"> <div class="eff-translation-links"></div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><p><i>This post was updated on 6/29/21 to more accurately describe how New York is running its <strong>voluntary</strong> vaccine passport program</i>The State of California recently released what it calls a “<a href="https://myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov/faq" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record</a>.” It is part of that state’s <a href="https://calmatters.org/newsletters/whatmatters/2021/06/california-vaccine-passport-verification-system/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">recent easing</a> of...</p></div></div></div> </div> <ul class="links links--inline node__links node__links"><li class="node-readmore first last"><a href="/deeplinks/2021/06/decoding-californias-new-digital-vaccine-records-and-potential-dangers" rel="tag" title="Decoding California's New Digital Vaccine Records and Potential Dangers">Read more<span class="element-invisible"> about Decoding California's New Digital Vaccine Records and Potential Dangers</span></a></li> </ul> </article> </li> <li class="views-row views-row-5 views-row-odd views-row-last"><article role="article" class="node node--blog node--promoted node-teaser node--teaser node--blog--teaser node--teaser node--blog--teaser"> <header> <div class="field field--name-field-banner-graphic field--type-image field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><div class="teaser-thumbnail"><a href="/deeplinks/2021/04/no-digital-vaccine-bouncers"><img src="https://www.eff.org/files/styles/teaser/public/banner_library/covid-laptops-privacy-1.png?itok=FYqqkykS" width="500" height="250" alt="An array of laptops, each with a virus image, except one, which has a surveillance eye." /></a></div></div></div></div><div class="node-content-type-byline blog"><a href="/updates?type=blog">Deeplinks Blog</a> <span class="node-author"> by <a href="/about/staff/alexis-hancock">Alexis Hancock</a>, <a href="/about/staff/adam-schwartz">Adam Schwartz</a>, <a href="/about/staff/hayley-tsukayama">Hayley Tsukayama</a></span> <span class="node-date"> | April 22, 2021</span> </div> <h3 class="node__title node__title"><a href="/deeplinks/2021/04/no-digital-vaccine-bouncers" rel="bookmark">No Digital Vaccine Bouncers</a></h3> </header> <div class="node__content node__content"> <div class="eff-translation-links"></div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><p>The U.S. is distributing more vaccines and <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the population is gradually becoming vaccinated</a>. Returning to regular means of activity and movement has become the main focus for many Americans who want to travel or see family. An increasingly common proposal to get there is digital proof-of-vaccination,...</p></div></div></div> </div> <ul class="links links--inline node__links node__links"><li class="node-readmore first last"><a href="/deeplinks/2021/04/no-digital-vaccine-bouncers" rel="tag" title="No Digital Vaccine Bouncers">Read more<span class="element-invisible"> about No Digital Vaccine Bouncers</span></a></li> </ul> </article> </li> </ul></div> </div> <h2 class="element-invisible">Pages</h2><ul class="pager"><li class="pager__item pager__item--current">1</li> <li class="pager__item"><a title="Go to page 2" href="/issues/covid-19?page=1">2</a></li> <li class="pager__item"><a title="Go to page 3" href="/issues/covid-19?page=2">3</a></li> <li class="pager__item"><a title="Go to page 4" href="/issues/covid-19?page=3">4</a></li> <li class="pager__item"><a title="Go to page 5" href="/issues/covid-19?page=4">5</a></li> <li class="pager__item"><a title="Go to page 6" href="/issues/covid-19?page=5">6</a></li> 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