NGI @ IGF2020

Trustworthy internet technologies against COVID-19

Technology has played a key role in the COVID-19 global health crisis outbreak and it will play an even more important role in supporting countries and citizens to overcome the crisis. This session will look at how effective technology-based measures have been in tackling the spread of the virus; how they have ensured the respect of laws and fundamental rights; and what lessons can be learned for the development of trustworthy internet technologies and their use for public policy purposes.

The public health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented global challenge to health care systems and our way of life. Digital technologies have played an important role since the beginning of the crisis outbreak and they will play an even more important role in supporting countries and citizens to manage and overcome the crisis. In response to this emergency outbreak, the European Commission has taken a series of initiatives to coordinate a common European approach for the use of mobile applications and mobile data in the context of the coronavirus crisis. The European Commission adopted a Recommendation to support Member States in exiting the COVID-19 crisis and supported European Member States in preparing and implementing a common European Toolbox for the use of mobile applications for contact tracing and warning. These instruments were flexible and agile enough to allow the European Union to promptly react and adapt its response to the emergency. Starting from the COVID-19 crisis experience, this open forum aims at discussing how technologies can play a role in a global health crisis and yet continue to respect human rights and enact principles and values such as privacy, trust, openness, transparency, decentralisation, user control and inclusiveness. The session will look at how effective technology-based measures taken in different countries and regions in the world have been in tackling the spread of the virus; how they have ensured the respect of laws and fundamental rights; and what lessons can be learned for the development of trustworthy internet technologies and their use for public policy purposes. The European Commission has also funded several projects developing technologies and apps to fight the COVID-19 outbreak, notably in the context of the Next Generation Internet (NGI) programme. The open forum will be the occasion to present to the audience concrete projects and to reflect on lessons learnt and way forward.

Moderators:

• Monique Calisti, CEO and Head of Martel Media and Consulting, NGI Outreach Office Director
• Esteve Sanz, European Commission

Speakers:

• Gemma Carolillo, Deputy Head of Unit, Next-Generation Internet, DG CNECT
• Dirk-Willem van Gulik, Special advisor to NL government for COVID-19 tracing apps
• Jelena Malinina, Digital health, policy officer at  BEUC, the European consumer organisation
• Hong-Wei Jyan, Director General, Department of Cyber Security of Taiwan, responsible for the development of the apps on COVID-19