A Swiss soldier at the Chamblon barracks holds up a mobile device with the contact tracking application created by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, using Bluetooth and a design called Decentralised Privacy-Preserving Proximity Tracing. Legislatures across Europe have debated how centralised their contact-tracing apps should be and how best to ensure data security. Photo: Reuters A Swiss soldier at the Chamblon barracks holds up a mobile device with the contact tracking application created by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, using Bluetooth and a design called Decentralised Privacy-Preserving Proximity Tracing. Legislatures across Europe have debated how centralised their contact-tracing apps should be and how best to ensure data security. Photo: Reuters
A Swiss soldier at the Chamblon barracks holds up a mobile device with the contact tracking application created by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, using Bluetooth and a design called Decentralised Privacy-Preserving Proximity Tracing. Legislatures across Europe have debated how centralised their contact-tracing apps should be and how best to ensure data security. Photo: Reuters
Michael Chertoff
Opinion

Opinion

Michael Chertoff

Coronavirus crisis highlights the need for governments and tech sector to prepare for the next pandemic

  • Testing and tracing efforts must strike a balance between gathering useful information and ensuring data cannot be used for nefarious purposes
  • Data can be a powerful ally in keeping future outbreaks under control, but the cure must not be worse than the disease

Michael Chertoff
Michael Chertoff

Updated: 6:00pm, 7 Jun, 2020

Why you can trust SCMP
A Swiss soldier at the Chamblon barracks holds up a mobile device with the contact tracking application created by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, using Bluetooth and a design called Decentralised Privacy-Preserving Proximity Tracing. Legislatures across Europe have debated how centralised their contact-tracing apps should be and how best to ensure data security. Photo: Reuters A Swiss soldier at the Chamblon barracks holds up a mobile device with the contact tracking application created by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, using Bluetooth and a design called Decentralised Privacy-Preserving Proximity Tracing. Legislatures across Europe have debated how centralised their contact-tracing apps should be and how best to ensure data security. Photo: Reuters
A Swiss soldier at the Chamblon barracks holds up a mobile device with the contact tracking application created by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, using Bluetooth and a design called Decentralised Privacy-Preserving Proximity Tracing. Legislatures across Europe have debated how centralised their contact-tracing apps should be and how best to ensure data security. Photo: Reuters
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Michael Chertoff

Michael Chertoff

Michael Chertoff is a distinguished fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation and former secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security, where he led the government's efforts on a range of security issues, including cybersecurity and border threats. He serves as the executive chairman and co-founder of the Chertoff Group.