Israel’s civil society is asking the government to include the Privacy Protection Authority in their COVID-19 discussions

Civil society organisations and experts in law, technology, and information in Israel sent a letter to the minister of justice and the attorney general of Israel asking them to include the Privacy Protection Authority(PPA) in the governmental decision-making process concerning the Coronavirus. The letter details government regulations that have so far violated citizens’ privacy and have taken place without involving the authority. For example, allowing security services to track citizens’ cell phones,  requiring employers to monitor their employees’ health, and encouraging business owners to monitor their clients’ health. The letter concludes by arguing that excluding the authority from these decisions will not only have implications on citizens’ privacy in Israel during the COVID-19 pandemic, but also in the long run, as it will diminish the authority power as a regulator in Israel.