TOP10VPN: Investigations- COVID-19 Digital Rights Tracker

This live tracker documents new measures introduced in response to COVID-19 that pose a risk to digital rights around the world.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, governments around the world have implemented a range of digital tracking, physical surveillance and censorship measures in a bid to slow the spread of the virus.

Some of these may well be proportionate, necessary and legitimate during these unprecedented times. However, others have been rushed through legislative bodies and implemented without adequate scrutiny.

Over the coming weeks and months, this tracker will document new initiatives being deployed that could threaten digital rights to help stem overreach, promote scrutiny, and ensure that intrusive measures don’t continue for any longer than absolutely necessary.

Key findings include:

In response to the outbreak of COVID-19:

• Contact Tracing Apps are being used in 23 countries
• Alternative digital tracking measures are active in 22 countries
• Physical surveillance technologies are in use in 10 countries
• COVID-19-related censorship has been imposed by 12 governments
• Internet shutdowns continue in 4 countries despite the outbreak

Click here to view the tool.