In this “Secure In Mind” podcast episode, Professor Katina Michaels and Dr Roba Abbas share their thoughts on the current global push for the adoption of technological applications that enable Contact Tracing

In this episode of Secure In Mind, I was fortunate enough to be joined by two academics from Australia, both of whom have extensive research in the use of technologies for surveillance purposes and the surrounding socio-ethical arguments this topic rightly attracts for debate. Professor Katina Michael and I have been meaning to record a podcast for over a year, and since travel has been (and still is for the foreseeable future) out of the question, we had the time to virtually pick up on our draft conversations with this topical tour de force. Katina and I were also joined by Dr Roba Abbas for the antipodean view of the debate; Roba was previously a student of Katina’s, and amongst the three of us, the conversation flowed across different geographical regions quite nicely. Rather than exposing too much of the discussion in this preamble, have a listen and let us know what you think. There is a huge amount to unpack in terms of the ethics, necessity, societal shaming, risks, scope, competing interests… so use this to equip yourself with information to determine if downloading that voluntary app in your country is for you.

The Secure in Mind project Our mission is to greatly increase and encourage community discussion about technological and ethical issues that have done, are and will impact society on a global scale. There is a longstanding and distinct disconnect between the way information is packaged and presented to the public and the effectiveness of this presentation in terms of generating informed, considered debate. If we can take complex, important topics and present them, as best we can, in a manner that can interests people from outside the speciality, then we have surpassed our expectations. Nick Kelly Bio Nick is someone who, in many senses, is just like you; a human being trying to make sense of this existence of ours as we hurtle around a ball of gas in a sea of infinite eternity. More relevant though are his vacillations in the world amongst diverse countries and environments Collaborating, negotiating, elaborating and celebrating with fascinating people from all walks of life including politics, technology, activism, military and intelligence the world over. He brings this unique breadth of perspective to the table and has a dogged interest in pursuing the human story behind the title or policy, appreciating the fact that underneath all of our bravado, political correctness and dichotomous states of creation and destruction, we are, after all, merely mortals trying to make the best of it.