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Short abstract:

It explores the ethical, social and technological challenges that arise during the implementation of digital surveillance tools, focused on health code in China. It emphasizes the need for an inclusive governance framework and the responsibility of scientists in addressing these complex dynamics.

Long abstract:

This paper examines China’s health code system in the context of digital surveillance and governance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Divided into two main parts, the paper it first explores how the integration of digital tracking technologies in public health management reshapes the dynamics of state authority, citizen privacy, and social norms. By focusing on the role of health code in monitoring health status and controlling population movement, it illuminates the interplay between digital infrastructure and social functioning. Preliminary conclusions suggest that while health code facilitate epidemic control in the short term, their long-term use also raises concerns about privacy, the ethics of data use, and the impact on social relations and cultural norms.

The paper thus turns to the second part on the challenging nature of long-term digital governance and the evolving responsibilities of scientists within the framework of digital governance and public health surveillance. Through a series of case studies of resistance in the late stages of the Chinese epidemic, it presents structural challenges to long-term governance, such as the non-transparent mechanisms and digital divide that accompany rapid infrastructurization. It calls for design approaches to responsible and adaptive governance, advocating the need for scientists to play a key role in shaping governance models that are fair, ethical, and responsive to societal needs. The conclusions provide recommendations for future collaboration between scientists, policymakers and technologists, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary dialogue in addressing the complexities of digital governance and ensuring long-term societal well-being.