Israel adopts Shin Bet technology for coronavirus response despite unsuitability warnings

Israel’s initial success in curbing the spread of the coronavirus in April was followed in June by a surge in cases that government advisers blamed on insufficient resources for ministries to implement an effective trace-and-trace programme and increase testing to the level that would show clearly where cases were appearing so outbreak could be suppressed quickly. Among the problems is the decision to use security service Shin Bet’s recently disclosed database of mobile phone location data to warn people to self-isolate if they have been near someone who was infected rather than build a civilian track-and-trace system. Even the security chief warned the government that Shin Bet’s system was inappropriate, and health ministers say it does not work.

Publication: Finantial Times
Writer: Mehul Srivastava