COVID19 Webinar Series: Global Crisis, Global Risk and Global Consequences - Session 3

Session 3: The uses and misuses of technology during the Covid-19 crisis

Since its emergence a few weeks ago, Covid-19 has already fundamentally changed the fabric of our society and impacted the global geopolitical landscape, but in what ways?

The pace at which the current Covid-19 crisis spreads reflects our state of globalisation. It also shows the role technology plays in its development, especially through the various means of global transportation. Technology plays an important role in fighting this pandemic, for example, various surveillance and data mining techniques used to track its spread and the use of artificial intelligence and biotechnology to boost medical research for a vaccine. Technology is also leveraged, however, for malicious uses, for example, in the field of cybersecurity and the spread of disinformation. The use of intrusive technology for surveillance and tracking purposes also raises ethical issues. This webinar will critically discuss the various ways technology is being used both for good and bad during this crisis. Covid-19 Crisis: Global Crisis, Global Risk and Global Consequences is a new webinar series that examines various possible and visible consequences of the current crisis including its strategic and economic implications, impact on global governance, on gender or the role of technology.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0832-5

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