GoodSAM Privacy Risks: The Briefing Speaks with Dr Jodie Siganto

Privacy 108 Founder Dr Jodie Siganto recently appeared on The Briefing to discuss the GoodSam app and the privacy risks that come with it.

GoodSAM supports emergency services to collect information and gather data to provide better services in emergencies. Ambulance Victoria, NSW Ambulance, and SA Ambulance Services already use GoodSAM and have seen some success. Here’s how Jodie described it on The Briefing (edited):

“It was really designed to be super helpful by connecting appropriately qualified people in the community to somebody who might be having a cardiac incident. So, the idea was that if you have the proper training you sign up to the app, perhaps through your ambulance service, and then when a 000 call comes in, the ambulance service can use the app to identify somebody who has appropriate skills to provide cardiac services who can come to the aid of the person in distress. I think it’s actually probably at its heart a really good idea to try and save lives.”

But despite all the good GoodSAM is capable of, there are some privacy risks that come with broader adoption and that emergency services should consider before introducing it to the Police.

“I think that one of the things privacy people [want to see] is that just being really clear about what information is being recorded, how long it’s been kept for, what is being used for by law enforcement… There’s an idea that in a matter of life or death, your consent is not required for the collection. Basically, all the other privacy rules are kind of lifted because it’s in the interests of the individual… But what happens in situations where it’s just not as clear?”

“It’s about trying to find the correct middle ground of using some really great technology but being really transparent about the pros and cons. I think being much clearer about [what happens to the data] when you decide to use the app would be immensely helpful.”

Listen here, from the 5.47 minute mark: