Google and Apple’s contact tracing technology has big implications for privacy rights and freedom. While it may be useful for tracking sick contacts during the coronavirus pandemic, this same technology can be used to persecute political dissidents in a surveillance police state.

It is precisely during an emergency and times of crisis that we so readily give up our fundamental rights in exchange for safety. This is natural and helpful but only in moderation. We should give up some things during an emergency. But there are limits and we must be vigilant.

I mean imagine contact tracing a reporter and finding out all the sources and informants who came into contact with that reporter. Imagine contact tracing an undocumented immigrant and then rounding up that person’s entire network of family and friends. There are many scenarios.