Pandemics force us to grapple with many difficult ethical questions. As professionals in the big data and software industries, we need to ask ourselves how our work might be utilized to reduce the spread of disease. Surveillance plays a key role in software systems designed in response to pandemics. The ability to quickly identify and quarantine affected individuals is priceless to containing the coronavirus COVID-19.

China's surveillance apparatus is a leading case-study for such a response. In this episode, we discuss its effectiveness, what other responses might work, and if such a system could be effective in other countries.