The data relates to the project COVID-19: Human Rights Implications of Digital Certificates for Health Status Verification. The study aimed at analysing the implications of Covid-19 health status certificates for data privacy and human rights. These certificates are also commonly referred to as digital health passports. Covid-19 health status certificates are defined in the study as an all-encompassing term, referring to the digital and paper-based certificates that, combined with identity verification, allow individuals to prove their health status (such as the results of Covid-19 tests and vaccination records). The study could draw on twenty semi-structured interviews with technologists and experts in digital identity and certification conducted between December 2020 and March 2021, as well as disciplinary and interdisciplinary literature reviews and evaluations of primary and secondary sources of law.The UK government announced it would consider establishing "immunity passports" as part of a lockdown exit strategy during the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19. Digital certificates for verifying immunity, proof of vaccination and COVID-19 test results may contribute to the long-term COVID-19 management strategy, whereby based on their health status, certain individuals would be able to return to work and enjoy their general freedom of movement. Yet, such certificates pose important questions for the protection of data privacy and human rights, given that they would (1) use sensitive personal health information, (2) create a new distinction between individuals based on their health status, and (3) be used to determine the degree of freedoms and rights one may enjoy. The technologies adopted during the current pandemic will have a lasting impact on our societies. They will shape how we respond to the trade-offs between data privacy, human rights, and public health interests. This project will evaluate whether and how digital certificates for health status affect our enjoyment of data privacy and the protection of our human rights, assessing whether there are effective ways to mitigate any potential risks for these rights, thus informing decision-making in this area of crucial national interest.
The semi-structured interviews were administered remotely using Zoom and Microsoft Teams. A semi-structured interview schedule was used in all interviews. Based on thematic theories, those schedules were informed by themes emerging from digital identity technologies, data protection, privacy, and human rights. The interviews were recorded using the online platform audio recording facility (with participants’ informed consent). Interviewees were recruited amongst digital identity industry leaders and engineers working in the design of digital identity and digital certification. Access to interviewees was facilitated by the PI’s professional networks, including in the area of digital identity. Gender parity was achieved with 55% female interviewees and 45% male interviewees. The interviews aimed to investigate: (1) how they perceive the potential challenges for data privacy and human rights regarding Covid-19 health status certificates and (2) how the potential risks to data privacy and human rights, in particular, due to the sensitive nature of health data, can be mitigated from a technical perspective, and how risk management strategies can be integrated into the design of digital certificates.
