As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, here are the latest stories on how the outbreak has affected privacy in Europe:

• The Irish Health Service Executive defended the design of its COVID-19 contact-tracing app against privacy concerns, saying privacy and data protection are “at the forefront,” BreakingNews.ie reports. Meanwhile, The Guardian reports on the success of Ireland's contact-tracing app.
• New Zealand Privacy Commissioner John Edwards expressed reservations regarding the CovidCard proposal, saying any contact-tracing technology “will involve significant privacy implications.”
• BBC News reports the U.K. test-and-trace program violated the EU General Data Protection Regulation with its lack of a data protection impact assessment before the program launched.
• U.K. Health Secretary Matt Hancock will allow local governments to access COVID-19 patient information, the Guardian reports.
• Stuff reports the U.K. plans to pilot New Zealand's StaySafe Diary contact-tracing app.
• Privacy concerns have been raised regarding Australian's personal data potentially being compromised by businesses with their mandated record-keeping, 9News reports.
• The New York Times reports while Google has vowed to protect privacy with its contact-tracing technology, governments have found the Big Tech company is still collecting users' location data.

Editor’s note: The IAPP Resource Center compiled global privacy updates on its COVID-19 Guidance and Resources page.