ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the entry of technology firms into critical public sectors such as healthcare, welfare, and education, often framed as emergency measures yet lacking appropriate ethical, legal, or sector-specific oversight. These private incursions have not only diminished transparency and weakened institutional accountability but also enabled the consolidation of power within technology companies. Existing governance frameworks, including data protection, competition law, and administration, have proven inadequate for confronting these challenges. Addressing these gaps demands a rights-based and interdisciplinary approach that can detect such incursions, assign clear responsibility, and ensure meaningful remedies for the public harms caused. Ultimately, this work exposes the urgent need to rethink governance structures to safeguard public interest in the face of expanding technological influence.
