Page 72 - SAMENA Trends - May 2020

ARTICLE SAMENA TRENDS

ARTICLE

The Landscape of Data Sharing Regulations Amidst the

COVID-19 Crisis

All around the world, telecom operators
(Telcos) are sharing data with governments
and other stakeholders, even in more

protective jurisdictions such as the European
Union (EU), to stop the spread of the virus. On
the other hand, there are definitely compliance
and reputational risks associated with such
data sharing that can materialize in the time
to come.

The COVID-19 crisis is considerably changing the way our societies
balance public health against all other concerns. While lockdowns are
the most characteristic symbol of this trade-off that societies have
to make, contact and localization tracing are also redefining the way
we understand data privacy. All around the world, telecom operators
(Telcos) are sharing data with governments and other stakeholders,
even in more protective jurisdictions such as the European Union (EU),
to stop the spread of the virus. On the other hand, there are definitely
compliance and reputational risks associated with such data sharing
that can materialize in the time to come. While there is a clear shift of
paradigm when it comes to data sharing, updating existing regulations
will be a complex task as well. What can Telcos do to emerge clean
post the crisis or even stronger with respect to their privacy protection
actions and perception, and how can they prepare for the post- Rohit Sethi
COVID-19 regulatory landscape, is a top of mind for most. Principal
Arthur D. Little
East-Asia has transformed data sharing into the new big conversation
The extent of data sharing already happening or planned varies for
each country and jurisdiction. Contact tracing already started as early
as late February this year in South Korea. South Korea’s Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) ran the contact tracing system
that used data from 28 organizations covering police, credit card and
smartphone companies, to trace the movement of individuals with
COVID-19. Other East-Asian countries were also early movers in
building their COVID-19 response based on shared data for example,
Taiwan’s “Digital Fence” that used Telcos’ GPS data to monitor people
in self-quarantine, and Singapore, where “TraceTogether” contact

72 MAY 2020