Tracking and Tracing in Israel during COVID-19 Balancing between the Need to Protect Public Health and Individual Right to Privacy

Raphael Cohen-Almagor, Eldar Haber

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

In March 2020, the Israeli government decided that its internal security agency may collect, process, and use technological information measures to tackle the spread of COVID-19. This was done by tracking the cellphones of those who may have contracted the virus, along with obtaining details on those who were in proximity for more than fifteen minutes and fourteen days prior to the positive outcome of those traced. The article discusses the controversial track and trace measure and proposes an alternative model of using tracing technology, considering the obligation to preserve human life and the right to individual privacy among other rights and liberties. It is argued that measures infringing on the right to privacy must be effectively restricted in time and meet standards of necessity, proportionality, and scientific validity, as required by constitutional standards. The government needs to balance the right to health against the right to privacy.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)29-50
Number of pages22
JournalIsrael Studies Review
Volume38
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© Association for Israel Studies

Keywords

  • Balancing
  • COVID-19
  • Israel
  • SHABAC
  • Track and Trace
  • health
  • privacy
  • vaccination

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cultural Studies
  • History
  • Sociology and Political Science

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