The pandemic outburst started in 2019, and gradually spread to all parts of the world. It not only affects the health of citizens around the world, but it also causes panic and concern in many countries. In order to control the spread of the epidemic, many countries have introduced similar technological epidemic prevention measures to comfort the panicked citizens. Throughout the whole year of pandemic hit, everyone has become accustomed to monitoring and tracking for the quarantined people through technology. However, very few people will question or explore whether these technological epidemic prevention measures are necessary, and whether the government has collected citizens' data or any sufficient information for citizens to supervise. Therefore, in the process of implementing these technological epidemic prevention measures, the ethical issues of privacy and technology application have once again been caused for concern. 

During the pandemic hit, many countries proposed monitoring plans to prevent the virus from spreading again in the community. For example, in Hong Kong, the government distributes QRcode-printed wristbands to quarantined people and requires them to install a mobile app to monitor whether they have violated quarantine orders. Contact tracing techniques used in Indonesia and the Philippines have caused the citizens' personal data to be collected by some unauthorized users and the government. Many of these scientific and technological epidemic prevention measures are also mandatory and urgently made. The public will hardly know whether these applications will infringe on personal privacy. There will only a few citizens will question the necessity of these tools due to the need to prevent the spreading of coronavirus. 

Indeed, when adopting technological anti-epidemic measures, it is difficult to avoid ethical issues involving privacy rights. However, in order to ensure adequate protection of citizens' personal data, in Hong Kong, the government should strike the best balance between epidemic prevention and personal privacy and ensure that the 6 data protection principles issued by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data in Hong Kong are reflected.

Ringus Solution Enterprise Limited 

A：Unit 4602, 46/F, COSCO Tower, 183 Queen's Road Central, HK

E：info@ringus-solution.com

T：(852) 2907 6011

W：www.ringus-solution.com