In search of ethical pandemic technology

The duration of the pandemic over the last two years has witnessed the steering of multiple technological interventions by governments. These interventions - ranging from contact tracing applications to vaccine certificates - have been developed in the specific context of the pandemic, and were meant to address its unique requirements. This family of technological interventions may be termed "pandemic technology" - having diverse uses such as preventing the transmission of Covid-19, and aiding the relaxation of pandemic-induced restrictions. We propose a four-rung ethical paradigm for the deployment of such technology. We call it the STEP model and its four pillars consist of (i) sunset clauses, (ii) trust, (iii) equity, and (iv) privacy preservation.