A public-health emergency requires a degree of monitoring people. All the more reason to be especially vigilant on privacy, argues Nick Dowson.
‘Be quick and go home,’ commanded the robot voice. A four-wheeled, chunky black box covered with police logos and cameras had been interrogating a man on a largely empty Tunis street about his reasons for being outside during Tunisia’s coronavirus lockdown earlier this year.1
Anyone approached had to display their ID to an officer controlling the machine remotely.
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