Drones used to enforce self-isolation rules throughout Israel

Drones in Israel are being used to monitor people in their homes to ensure they aren’t breaking coronavirus self-isolation rules put in place. While it’s great to see the Israeli police utilizing drones, they are raising privacy concerns among the citizens of Israel.

Drones are being used around Israel to enforce self-isolation rules of those that have tested positive with coronavirus by looking into their houses, raising privacy concerns with the people of Israel.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told the Times of Israel that the police have been using drones throughout Israel to “find and confirm that people with the coronavirus are in isolation.”

He also shared the police on the ground are using the drones to fly up and look into the windows of high-rise buildings to ensure the people are staying inside and not breaking the law.

Of course, peeping into someone’s window whether you’re law enforcement or not is an invasion of privacy. Many countries are using drones in the fight against coronavirus to monitor public areas, while still invading privacy somewhat is much better than having a drone looking into your window while your getting changed or while you’re just watching TV.

Expert on technology and privacy laws, Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler from the Israel Democracy Institute is worried at the rate of adoption the technology has had within Israel and had the following to say on the use of it.

“First of all, they are here to stay because the corona is here to stay. After the corona is gone, we’re going to get used to the fact we’re using those technologies.”

It is also believed that Israel has been taking advantage of phone-spying technology, originally designed to be used in the fight against terrorism to ensure people that have tested positive with coronavirus are staying home.

Drones have been able to show off their true ability throughout the coronavirus outbreak with many countries using them to keep people indoors and following the rules in place. We first heard about this in early February of law enforcement yelling at people through drones in China before the coronavirus made its way to the rest of the world.

Drones have also been used to disinfect public areas, with the likes of China, Australia, Spain, and Malaysia all using modified agricultural drones to spray disinfectant. A Louisiana-based drone company even want to spray disinfectant in indoor spaces, such as basketball courts and theatres.

What do you think about Israel’s implementation of drones in the fight against coronavirus? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Photo: Shai Pal on Unsplash

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