EPIC, Coalition to Congress: Tech Responses to Covid-19 Must Protect Privacy & Civil Rights

June 11, 2020

EPIC and a group of over 80 consumer, privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties organizations have sent a letter to the House and the Senate that endorses "principles to protect the civil rights and privacy of all persons." The group stated that technology used in response to Covid-19 "must only be allowed if it is non-discriminatory, effective, voluntary, secure, accountable, and used exclusively for public health purposes." EPIC and a coalition of organizations previously sent a letter to the Coronavirus Task Force, urging the federal government to set guidelines that protect privacy and ensure equity in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The coalition raised concerns about public-private partnerships that utilize technology to respond to COVID-19 without the necessary privacy safeguards. Earlier this year, EPIC wrote to Congress stating that it is "essential that government agencies and private companies implement standards that safeguard privacy." EPIC has laid out several recommendations related to privacy and the pandemic.

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