Update (April 19 3:13 pm): The resolution was passed in the European Parliament with 395 votes in favour, 171 against, and 128 abstentions on April 17. As we had expected, the resolution was adopted without any changes to the clauses about contact tracing apps and misinformation. However, the adopted text adds a new paragraph (§55) that acknowledged the "particularly acute and worsening financial situation in the media, especially news media across the EU" and pointed out that "free, independent and sufficiently funded media are instrumental for a functioning democracy and for ensuring that citizens are well informed throughout this crisis". Today, the European Parliament will discuss a Bill that demands proof of concept on how use of contact tracing apps by a part of population, in combination with other specific measures, will actually lead to a lower number of infections. The Bill also demands that all storage of data generated through such apps be decentralised, and developers and countries be absolutely transparent about the code and allow independent audits of such apps. Through this Bill (and potential Resolution), there’s a lot that developers of Indian government’s contact tracing app, Aarogya Setu, can learn and implement (more on that below). This Bill deals with EU’s larger coordinated action “to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences”, and has dealt with contact tracing apps in the section titled “Protecting democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights”. The Bill has been proposed by four members of European Parliament on behalf of 499 members.…
