Coronavirus contact tracing apps must only be used during the pandemic and will need to be automatically de-activated once the crisis is over, according to the EU justice commissioner.

Reuters reported that Didier Reynders spoke yesterday in an attempt to allay concerns over state surveillance.

“Apps cannot be used for mass surveillance, individuals will keep control on their data,” he told a plenary sitting, which saw other lawmakers reiterate concerns over risks that these apps could pose to privacy.

“Apps should be only used during the crisis and be deactivated at the latest when the pandemic is over,” Reynders said, noting that de-activation should occur even if users forget to uninstall the apps.

Countries across the EU are rushing to develop mobile tracing apps, which could give a better picture of the spread of the virus, helping to contain it and open up economies quicker.

Earlier this week, the UK communities secretary Robert Jenrick confirmed that the government is working on a second app to potentially replace the one it is currently trialling on the Isle of Wight.

The second app will use technology provided by Google and Apple, after concerns were raised about the initial app’s centralised system.

The UK’s Chartered Institute for IT recently published a policy paper which warned that concerns over privacy could have a negative effect on uptake from the public and minimise the chance of reaching the 60 per cent uptake implementation target.

Kathy Farndon, vice president of the British Computer Society, commented: “Contact tracing apps must be founded on ‘privacy by design, privacy by default’ principles and government must set a high bar for transparent and ethical data governance as its future legitimacy and trust with public data is at stake.”

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