Should Massachusetts residents be required to share their location data with local health authorities to help stop the spread of COVID-19?
Should Massachusetts residents be required to share their location data with local health authorities to help stop the spread of COVID-19?
What is your opinion? Every day, we make decisions about issues in society that may or may not impact us. What goes into an informed opinion? We use all different kinds of information to form our opinions, including personal experiences, social values, and scientific evidence.
In this activity you will consider a variety of information, build a case to inform your opinion, then you can start a conversation with your friends and family by sharing what you've made.
Let's begin by learning about the topic.
What is digital contact tracing?
Local health authorities use manual contact tracing to track and contain disease outbreaks by interviewing infected individuals to determine who they may have exposed to the disease. The interviewer then advises the infected person and their contacts on what they should do next. In Massachusetts, a digital contact tracing app could constantly monitor a resident’s location using their cellular device. The app could track interactions and automatically notify users who have been in contact with an infected person.
Why is this a provocative question?
As of July 2020, there have been 4.8 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 158,000 deaths in the United States. Manual contact tracing via phone calls is already in place, but some experts say we need a faster method. Digital contact tracing could automatically alert people if they have been exposed to the disease. Science alone cannot decide if digital contact tracing should be required. Different personal experiences, social values, and scientific evidence will lead to different opinions.
Click the button below to get started or keep scrolling to learn more about personal experiences.
Personal Experience
Personal experiences include the events of our lives, the observations we make, and the knowledge we gain throughout our lifetime.
It's important to hear how other people might be affected by a new technology before making decisions. Read through the personal experience stories below before building your own case for the question: Should Massachusetts residents be required to share their location data with local health authorities to help stop the spread of COVID-19?
"Massachusetts has controlled the spread of COVID-19 better than other states. Digital contact tracing would be an unnecessary invasion of privacy."
"Why not share our location data to help others and ourselves? We already share it on social media platforms voluntarily. I would certainly share my data if it helped me know if I have been exposed to the disease and could have exposed others."
"Public health and safety has to be the number one priority for everyone right now, no matter the cost."
"I know location data sharing through digital contact tracing has been effective in controlling COVID-19 in other places, but I don’t trust the government with how they will use and share my data."
"I'm worried if I share my location data and leave the state to visit family members who I know have been safely distancing and wearing masks, I would have to get tested or quarantine for two weeks just because I crossed state lines."
"I'm an essential worker taking public transportation every day, but I don’t have a smart phone. I wonder if there are any new resources being created for people like me?"
"I received a call from a contact tracer a few weeks ago who said someone I was in contact with a week ago tested positive for COVID-19. I had no idea, and had already been to the grocery store and shared a meal with my close friends. If I would have known sooner, I could have avoided those potentially risky activities."
Build Your Case
Personal Experience
Personal experience includes the events of our lives, the observations we make, and the knowledge we gain throughout our lifetimes. Will this issue affect you personally?
Scientific Evidence
Scientific evidence refers to studies that have been conducted using the scientific method. Research can describe, explain, and predict how the world around us works. Which of these resources best supports your opinion?
Social Values
Social values are personal attitudes about how people should live together. Which of these value statements best supports your opinion?
Final Statement
Your Case
Your Final Statement:
Yes, we should require Massachusetts residents to share location data with local health authorities.
Personal Experience
Requiring Massachusetts residents to share location data with local health authorities would not affect me personally.
From those who chose this personal experience statement:
% said: Yes, we should require Massachusetts residents to share location data.
% said: No, we should not require Massachusetts residents to share location data.
% said: I cannot decide.
Scientific Evidence
On the Isle of Wight, the implementation of a digital contact tracing app downloaded by 38% of the population was correlated with a significant decrease in the spread of COVID-19 compared to other areas of the UK.
From those who chose this scientific evidence resource:
% said: Yes, we should require Massachusetts residents to share location data.
% said: No, we should not require Massachusetts residents to share location data.
% said: I cannot decide.
Social Values
The Massachusetts state government should mandate that residents share their cellular location data with local health authorities to monitor and help control the outbreak.
From those who chose this social values statement:
% said: Yes, we should require Massachusetts residents to share location data.
% said: No, we should not require Massachusetts residents to share location data.
% said: I cannot decide.
Now that you've formed your opinion, start a conversation! Click the "Download" button below for your personalized opinion graphic to share.
