In Italy, a “snobbish” conception of the right to privacy and the protection of personal data are about to cause a sensational mistake in the fight against COVID-19: that of destroying (or not collecting) the geolocation data of infected subjects.
The right to privacy can certainly be limited for higher interests, as was the case with freedom of expression, freedom of movement and public gathering and economic freedom. Moreover, the GDPR, if applicable in an emergency regime, would impose nonetheless to protect ALL fundamental rights and freedoms, therefore, life first, and not only “privacy”.
Destroying (or not collecting) the geolocation data of the infected and therefore preventing scientists from studying the strictly pathological aspects of COVID-19 and those related to its diffusion is just unacceptable.
Despite the ubiquitous presence of people who are crying wolf, a “danger of global State surveillance” in Italy is non-existent. . So it would be better to leave it to Science – the very same Science to which today everyone turns to like a pagan deity – the possibility keep researching.
Scientists should be free to collect, keep and share COVID-19 data, they should act in a transparent manner and be open to governmental control. This would make more sense than depriving them – a priori – of the possibility of saving human lives.