The new coronavirus pandemic has taken the world by storm and, as scientists are scrambling to find a vaccine for the virus and a cure for the disease, governments everywhere are struggling to adjust to the new situation. As measures that seemed exaggerated just a few months ago have become the new reality, policymakers are debating the effects of the pandemic on globalization and privacy laws. Travel and trade restrictions are now part of our daily life, just like isolation. While the new measures are necessary to stop the pandemic and prevent SARS-CoV-2 from spreading, new concerns are also emerging. Decision-makers know that long-term quarantine can lead to economic breakdown without completely stopping the pandemic. In a desperate race against time, some are wondering if isolation is the best answer we have.
Yuval Noah Harari, the author of Sapiens and other bestsellers, voiced some of the most important concerns when thinking about the future.
“The decisions people and governments take in the next few weeks will probably shape the world for years to come. They will shape not just our healthcare systems but also our economy, politics, and culture. We must act quickly and decisively,” Harari wrote.
The Israeli historian is not alone in expressing concerns about the present situation and the way current decisions might influence our future. The world is still looking for leadership in fighting the pandemic, but the US has problems closer to home. The number of confirmed cases within its own borders is growing, as the country is quickly joining China, Italy, and Spain in becoming ground zero for the disease.
Privacy Concerns in the Time of the Pandemic
While the novel coronavirus pandemic is spreading, the US Government has initiated talks with multiple tech giants in a new effort to use the location data collected from smartphones around the country to track and contain the virus. Facebook, Google, and many other tech companies have been asked to join health experts and scientists in providing the Government with a map that traces the spread of the infection, according to The Washington Post. The initiative is bound to worry privacy supporters, but many other countries are considering similar proposals.
In Europe, mobile carriers have decided to assist governments in collecting data about crowd movements. Telecommunication companies in Europe have been sharing anonymous location data to help authorities track and stop the spread of the virus, according to Reuters. Even though this decision may cause concern among privacy advocates, data provided by mobile operators everywhere may prove essential in tracking large gatherings and clusters of the virus without sharing individual data. Germany’s Deutsche Telekom has already answered the call, followed by three mobile operators in Italy.
Some privacy supporters remain unconvinced that sharing user data is actually beneficial, even in the time of the pandemic. Harari was among the first to note that, to fight the novel coronavirus pandemic, several governments have already implemented new surveillance tools.
From Empathy to Isolation
Just a few months ago, empathy was believed to be a key factor in driving social change. Public servants and policymakers everywhere were encouraged to develop their empathy, in order to become better at their jobs. But in a world where many countries closed their borders and isolated their citizens, the ideals of solidarity, empathy, and harmony among all may be the first victims of the new coronavirus. The new rules imposed to prevent the spread of the virus may not destroy our economies or our global co-operation, as Harari fears, but they can certainly harm them.
At the beginning of the crisis, most policymakers were skeptical when talking about the future consequences of the new coronavirus for the global economy. All eyes were looking to China, and the relatively quick containment of the epidemic provided hope and assurances that the world would soon resume its course. But as the spread of the virus quickly turned into a pandemic, new worries regarding long-term economic disruption and restrictions on travel and global trade started to materialize. While some believe the pandemic poses a serious threat to our globalized world, others remain optimistic.
Final Thoughts
The new coronavirus will eventually stop being an impending danger, but that doesn’t mean that things will return to the way they were. The global crisis may have a profound impact on our values and lifestyle, as it’s already making people question globalization and overall unity.
