Just saying…

https://www.justsecurity.org/69480/threats-to-democracy-spread-with-the-virus-we-must-keep-both-in-check/

Threats to Democracy Spread with the Virus, We Must Keep Both in Check

As the coronavirus pandemic has spread to all regions of the world, we have begun to see governments respond predictably to the threat by agitating for increased authority. The worst of these, the Hungarian proposal, was easily enacted into law yesterday, setting a terrible precedent for other countries, in the West and around the world. At a time when democracy and rule of law are already weakened, these assertions of power should raise serious concerns, as leaders seek greater power in the short term without pausing to consider possible effects in the long term.

The pandemic has already been compared to 9/11 in terms of the havoc it will wreak on our lives, but the comparison should extend to the havoc it will wreak on democracy if we hand governments broad power without regard for individual rights and the need for oversight. Of course, it’s natural for a government to seek additional authorities in an emergency situation, especially a public health emergency like this one, which requires dramatic restrictions on daily life to stop the spread of the virus. But even during emergencies, certain rights can never be curtailed, such as the right against torture or inhuman treatment, according to international human rights law.

(Related) Looking the other way.

https://www.geekwire.com/2020/microsoft-president-calls-washington-states-new-facial-recognition-law-significant-breakthrough/

Microsoft president calls Washington state’s new facial recognition law ‘a significant breakthrough’

Microsoft President Brad Smith took a break from responding to the COVID-19 outbreak Tuesday to praise Washington state’s landmark facial recognition regulations. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill Tuesday that establishes rules specifically governing facial recognition software.

Smith called the law an “early and important model” and “a significant breakthrough” in a blog post published Tuesday. Some cities have enacted their own facial recognition rules, but Washington is the first to establish statewide regulations.

The Privacy world is constantly changing.

https://www.hldataprotection.com/2020/03/articles/international-eu-privacy/update-of-japans-privacy-law-approved-by-cabinet/

Update of Japan’s Privacy Law Approved by Cabinet

… The reported goals of the bill include, for example: (i) broadening data subjects’ powers to exercise control over their data; and (ii) to establish a system to facilitate corporation’s internal use of “big data.”