The COVID-19 pandemic has seen governments restricting civil rights and protest to unprecedented rates around the world.
To help lift existing public health constraints safely, new innovations – contact tracing apps – are being built and rolled out to automate labor-intensive activities that are essential to preventing the virus spread. That raises the question; Should we rather do something less invasive and more effective?
The Government is developing technologies to track and manage COVID-19 spread. This is how that's going to work.
If a person is diagnosed with the virus, their App can send a signal to surrounding mobile phones via Bluetooth, alerting them that an infected person is nearby. An acoustic echo from the infected phone will also signal to others, letting them know who they are amongst the surrounding strangers. Sounds great, doesn't it?
The Province of Alberta 's government has launched a mobile contact tracking feature, "ABTraceTogether" (the Alberta version), which uses Bluetooth to let users know whether they were exposed to COVID-19 or were exposed to someone who could have it. The "ABTraceTogether" app from Alberta was created using the same Si-based code "TraceTogether" Software by Singapore.
Currently the provincial government of Alberta is the only government in Canada to launch a COVID-19 touch tracing device. However, the Canadian Federal Government has also begun developing a mobile-based touch tracing system for use nationally. The software will use Bluetooth technology to compile a list of reported positive COVID-19 cases around the country to alert Canadians when they have been in close proximity to those who have been diagnosed with positive.
Canada's federal government has signaled that the voluntary, free app will be available for download starting early July.The Federal Privacy Commissioner of Canada (the Federal Privacy Regulator of Canada) has not yet released a set of clear guidelines with regard to the proposed Canada-wide program.
What are the big privacy issues about the government's use of the software (a); and (b) by private sector organizations?
From a privacy perspective, the App is considered minimally invasive (especially in view of the positive comments made by Alberta Privacy Commissioner) as it is optional and collects very little information, which is only used for the specific purpose of contacting users in the event of a positive check. Major concerns about privacy are about employers who may require employees to To submit the application as a condition of being allowed to go back to work.
A major problem at the moment is that there is inadequate common adoption for the app to be successful and technical in that the device is still expected to be available and run properly and communication can be disrupted when other phone applications (i.e. email) are used. Learn more here ...
What about a solution with less intrusive effect?
The issue with the government solution currently being discussed is that virtually everyone needs to participate and install the App on their phone to be successful. This seems as though there might be a lot of room for error, despite the ability to That's for us to say. Wouldn't it be easier to just quarantine the infected and leave all the rest to their privacy and start their day? In reality it should.
Was the response of government just used to better track and regulate the citizens?
A quick refresh course in modern history will definitely provide the response. This virus is potentially lethal to elderly people and those with medical disabilities, so we should be vigilant. What about placing a simple wristband (or ankle bracelet) on the infected and keeping them quarantined, rather than under surveillance pressuring the whole civilization?
Within the criminal justice system, this process is tried and true. Sure, that would suggest we Would be forced to stay at home when infected, but it is obviously for the better, and would not require anybody else to comply with the privacy risk of these proposed applications. Just food to eat.
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