Apple and Google Roll Out New Coronavirus Tracking App
By: Jonathan Stormer Pezzi
The application being created will be entirely voluntary, with both companies emphasizing the role of privacy in this new venture. Source
New York — In a joint statement, Apple and Google have announced they will work together to launch a technology platform that traces Coronavirus contacts using Bluetooth technology.
Utilizing a user-based app, smartphone owners can divulge whether they have been infected by COVID-19. When this person is in the proximity of others, a message will be sent to surrounding people informing them of the infected person’s presence. The message will not release personal information or the exact location of the infected individual.
“All of us at Apple and Google believe there has never been a more important moment to work together to solve one of the world’s most pressing problems. Through close cooperation and collaboration with developers, governments and public health providers, we hope to harness the power of technology to help countries around the world slow the spread of COVID-19 and accelerate the return of everyday life,” the two companies said in a press release.
The application will be entirely voluntary, with both companies emphasizing the role of privacy in this new venture. Users will simply switch their Bluetooth on or off and have the decision to self-report their condition.
The two tech giants have approximately 3 billion users.
The initiative expectedly has its critics. “I don't like the slippery slope argument - it's a logical fallacy. But, this is a pandora's box going to be used to discriminate and harm others,” says Sergio Caltagirone, an executive in the cybersecurity industry.
“This will absolutely be used to discriminate against people as fear of coronavirus will rise as we leave large-scale quarantine. Some people will not be allowed in certain places. Some people may not be allowed to return to work,” Caltagirone added in a tweet.
Caltagirone also argues that the technology does not have an effective way of determining whether an infected person is contagious, even after they have recovered from the virus. He, among others, adds that phone data has never been proven secure and that there is a plausible chance the information is released.
This is one more example of many new location-tracking initiatives that governments and companies have employed to halt the spread of COVID-19. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and several local governments are using mobile advertising data to track people’s movement, determining how effective stay-at-home measures are throughout the country.
Countries across the world are pursuing similar strategies. According to the Washington Post, China, South Korea, Israel, Britain, Taiwan, and Singapore are all using similar location tracking technologies. Israel recently announced they were using an anti-terrorism technology to track infected citizens.