WHO Advisor – “We should never step beyond individual freedoms”

Dr. Michael Ryan, a key advisor for the World Health Organization, said this week at a briefing on the novel coronavirus that there is a "tremendous amount" of innovation and enthusiasm for new products. But he also cautioned (video) that "when collecting information on citizens or tracking their movements there are always serious data protection and human rights principles involved." Dr. Ryan said, "we want to ensure that all products are done in the most sensitive way possible and that we never step beyond the principles of individual freedoms and rights." UN human rights experts and European privacy officials are urging governments to safeguard privacy in the effort to contain the novel coronavirus. Yuval Noah Harari wrote recently "We can and should enjoy both privacy and health. We can choose to protect our health and stop the coronavirus epidemic not by instituting totalitarian surveillance regimes, but rather by empowering citizens."