Since the COVID-19 pandemic, several countries have developed digital health applications to assist prevention and population care policies. But they use personal and sensitive data and may rely on inadequate infrastructure for data storage, safeguarding and protection. We present ten criteria that digital health applications must meet to guarantee the protection of the right to privacy, freedom, equality and confidentiality of every human being. Appropriate forms of governance must be established that involve all stakeholders in their use to ensure transparency and accountability in the processes of knowledge generation and transfer in the health sector.