UN Special Rapporteur on privacy urges governments to delete personal data collected during COVID-19 Pandemic

The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy, Ana Brian Nougrères, has called on states to examine issues related to personal data collected and processed by public authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic. In her report to the Human Rights Council, Nougrères urged governments to delete any personal data that no longer serves a purpose post-pandemic. Nougrères examined the situation in 20 states from various geographic regions and found that while state policies were in full compliance with informing the public about the purpose of the collection and processing of personal data, very few established transparent mechanisms to verify the deletion or anonymisation of personal data.

The report provides guidelines for the proper processing of personal data and aims to give guidance to states on how to implement the principles of purpose, deletion, and accountability.

Nougrères made six key recommendations to states regarding personal data collected during the pandemic, including strengthening accountability, demonstrating transparency, and implementing a publicly accessible mechanism that allows citizens to verify the use, storage, and deletion of data.