ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the ethical challenges posed by the still rapidly developing sphere of digital intelligence. States invest in intelligence and data collection to provide a sound basis for their decisions, especially regarding the security, safety and health of their citizens. Digitization is the conversion of any form of information into numerical form. The example of the COVID-19 pandemic illustrates this well. Modern digital surveillance, including the use of apps on mobile devices and monitoring of digital personal information, has provided health authorities in nations such as South Korea, Singapore and China the public health benefit of powerful tools for assisting in testing and tracking programmes limiting the spread of the virus. The principle of right intention does not rule out deception in the course of an intelligence operation, such as inserting into the digital code of malware clues that attempt to encourage a false-flag attribution to a third country.
