Long Reads
Huawei is one of the tech companies that governments worldwide are collaborating with to reshape our public spaces. We have been working on mapping out the development of Huawei Smart City initiatives around the world and have been mobilising other actors to join this effort.
The smart city market is booming. And with a booming market comes companies that are profiting and reshaping our public space, like the Chinese tech company Huawei. While the term ‘Smart City’ is a broad one that encompasses many different initiatives, some with little to no impact on our privacy
In this piece we outline the main discussions and measures we need to see being systematically adopted to inform decision-making about digital solutions in the health sector, and provide examples of where these were not integrated in decision-making processes and with what consequences.
For over 20 years with the start of the first use of ICTs in the 1990s, we have seen a digital revolution in the health sector. The Covid-19 pandemic significantly accelerated the digitalisation of the health sector, and it illustrates how fast this uptake can be and what opportunities can emerge
During the Covid-19 pandemic, telemedicine experienced a global boost. Post-pandemic, the telemedicine industry has been valued at a quarter trillion dollars. However, there are issues, ranging from lack of clear guidelines, lack of training for providers, and issues of connectivity, to costs for patients, the remote care being covered by insurance, that providers must understand prior to deploying telemedicine solutions.
Image source This piece is a part of a collection of research that demonstrates how data-intensive systems that are built to deliver reproductive and maternal healthcare are not adequately prioritising equality and privacy. Telemedicine describes the vast range of applications and technologies used
PI has put together an analysis of some of the most used Foundational ID systems worldwide.
Governments around the world are increasingly making registration in national digital ID systems mandatory for populations, justifying its need on a range of issues from [facilitating access to services](https://privacyinternational.org/long-read/4472/exclusion-design-how-national-id-systems-make
An overview of how the EU works extensively with non-EU countries to introduce biometric ID systems in order to "manage" migration and borders, and recommendations on possible ways to mitigate the risks
In early August, the African Union (AU) issued a statement condemning Denmark’s Aliens Act which, among other things, allows Demark to relocate asylum seekers to countries outside the European Union while their cases are being processed. The AU argues that this amounts to an abdication by Denmark of
If you’re in the UK you may know Bounty as the company that distribute packs of samples to pregnant women at midwife appointments. They’re also the ones that were found to have illegally shared the data of over 14 million mums & babies with 39 companies.
Image found here. Founded in 1959, Bounty UK Limited markets itself as an information service for pregnant women and new mothers. Prior to the pandemic, it was best known for distributing “Bounty packs” of free samples of baby products to pregnant women at midwife appointments, to new mothers on
This articles explores the use of digital loan Apps in Philippines and Kenya and highlights some of the common concerns that emanate from the unregulated use of such Apps.
Introduction Technology has driven a number of changes in the way that financial services are packaged and accessed by consumers. These changes have led to the rise of fintech, a data intensive industry that has been touted for its convenience and as an alternative to traditional financial services
This piece is a part of a collection of research that demonstrates how data-intensive systems that are built to deliver reproductive and maternal healthcare are not adequately prioritising equality and privacy.
India’s Mother and Child Tracking System (MCTS) is a system that collects vast amounts of data about pregnant people, children, and families. It is an initiative by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India, and was first trialled in 2009. It was then rolled out nation-wide in 2011. Its
Privacy International bought a TECNO smartphone, and we discovered serious concerns with the phone’s operating system and pre-installed apps.
When you buy a brand-new low-cost phone, it’s likely to come pre-installed with insecure apps and an outdated operating system. What this means is that you or your loved ones could be left vulnerable to security risks or to having their data exploited. Privacy shouldn’t be a luxury. That’s why we
Companies selling diet programmes are using tests to lure users. Those tests encourage users to share sensitive personal data, including about their physical and mental health. But what happens to the data? We investigated to find out.
For many, browsing the internet or checking social media comes with its fair share of being targeted with ads selling “fad diet” subscription-based programmes, magic weight-loss powders, or promising a secret trick to lose weight quickly. Some of the products and programmes sold have been described