Countries around the world continue to grapple with COVID-19 contact tracing apps and their privacy applications. Here are the latest developments regarding the deployment of those apps:

• New Zealand Privacy Commissioner John Edwards issued a statement supporting the deployment of the Ministry of Health's NZ COVID Tracer, which Edwards claims "was created using privacy by design principles which put privacy at the foundation of the process."
• India's Ministry of Home Affairs backed off its stance making the adoption of the country's contact tracing app mandatory for all citizens, The New Indian Express reports.
• Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa reports on the various COVID-19 contact tracing efforts across Balkan countries.
• U.K.-based outsourcing firm Serco apologized for sharing the email addresses of 300 contact tracing workers, BBC News reports.
• U.S. State Sen. Chris Jacobs, R-N.Y., introduced privacy legislation to protect citizens against New York's contact tracing efforts, according to Niagara Frontier Publications.
• According to The Hill, Gov. Gina Raimondo, D-R.I., announced the launch of Rhode Island's privacy-protected tracing app, Crush COVID RI.
• Reuters reports on the deployment of contact tracing wristbands at a senior living facility in Amarillo, Texas.

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