Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10316/92647
Title: Tracking the Outbreak and Far beyond: How Are Public Authorities Using Mobile Apps to Control Covid-19 Pandemic
Authors: Simões, Rita Basílio 
Amaral, Inês 
Santos, Sílvio 
Keywords: Covid-19; mHealth apps; government surveillance; self-tracking; affordances
Issue Date: 27-Jan-2021
Publisher: ICNOVA
Serial title, monograph or event: Multidisciplinary Perspectives of Communication in a Pandemic Context
Volume: I
Place of publication or event: Lisboa
Abstract: COVID-19 brought tremendous challenges to the world during 2020. The consequences of the pandemic are still hard to estimate. However, the socio-economic crisis that hit every nation, from major developed economies to least developed countries is transversal and quite visible. Despite the existence of various context-specific approaches, there is a global effort that stands on three main areas: scientific research, ultimately focused on finding a cure or a vaccine; technological use to support social changes on domains like work, distance-learning or risk detection; and governmental measures promoting lockdown, isolation and safety practices. This research is focused on the use of technology to improve the response to the pandemic in a globalised network society by tracking patterns of interaction between people. The use of self-tracking apps has been pushed by various governments, raising concerns regarding surveillance, social control and data collection. We analyse through the walkthrough method a group of 13 mHealth apps that were supported by public authorities during 2020. Stemming from a critical sociological perspective of contemporary uses and consumptions of digital media, we gather data that promotes a deeper understanding of the role that this kind of apps has in normalising surveillance practices for political purposes and their potential impact in everyday life.
URI: https://hdl.handle.net/10316/92647
ISBN: 978-989-9048-02-7
978-989-9048-03-4
Rights: openAccess
Appears in Collections:FLUC Secção de Comunicação - Livros e Capítulos de Livros

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