In the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, contact tracking apps have been viewed as a sound countermeasure for containing the spread of the virus by identifying the infected individual’s circle of contacts and monitoring compliance with self-isolation regime. Since the outbreak, many governments in SEE+ countries have introduced various forms of tracking apps.

While some governments have claimed positive results in preventing the further dissemination of COVID-19 through mobile location tracking, their application has raised many red flags in terms of human rights implications, in particular with regard to privacy and data protection. While these apps are gaining momentum, we know rather little about them or how they could affect society in the future. How many people will download and use them, and how widely used do they have to be in order to be effective? What data will they collect, and who is it shared with? Are there risks that the information be used in the future for other purposes? Are there policies in place to prevent potential abuse?

Project goals:

• Sensitise stakeholders about the deployment of tracking apps in the SEE+ region and their human rights implications.
• Create a brainstorming space for the development of recommendations for the region.