The ethical implications of re-purposing AI tools for infectious disease surveillance in policing

The Challenge

This project addresses a critical challenge: determining when and how data collected for public health surveillance can be repurposed for law enforcement. The pandemic accelerated the development of surveillance infrastructures (e.g., contact tracing apps) and also created new opportunities for data sharing, but the ethical boundaries of these practices remain contested. Using COVID-19 as a case study, it examines the conditions under which such repurposing is considered legitimate or ethically justified with the aim of creating a new framework for cross-sector data reuse.

The Methods

The project uses qualitative methods to capture diverse stakeholder perspectives. Prior to conducting interviews, the COVID-19 surveillance infrastructure was mapped empirically to identify which actors were involved in its development and governance. Semi-structured interviews were then conducted with contact tracing app developers, data scientists, criminologists, infectious disease surveillance specialists, and public health policy advisors.

This DPhil is supported by a Nuffield Department of Population Health scholarship.