Taking liberties to protect our health

Marjorie Buchser warns that privacy and democratic principles are being sacrificed in the fight against the pandemic.

The World Today Updated 25 November 2022 5 minute READ

In April 2020, more than a third of the planet’s population was under varying forms of restriction. In the initial phases of national lockdowns, socially distancing citizens had no choice other than to connect with friends and family virtually. Food and vital deliveries shifted to e-commerce. Demand for digital tools enabling remote working and e-learning surged.

Within the space of a few months, the health crisis has forced countries to radically alter their social, political and economic dynamics, shifting many, if not most, activities online. It has fast-forwarded digitalization across all sectors of society and led to the mass adoption of digital technology at both institutional and individual levels.

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