Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
US TECH GIANTS Apple and Google have launched their contact tracing technology, which is being used for the Irish contact tracing app, due to be published at the end of the month.
The companies are offering the platform to health authorities around the world with contact tracing – a key tool in trying to tame the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The work public health officials are doing around the world humbles us all,” the two companies said in a statement.
“Google and Apple are clear that this is not a panacea but we do believe Exposure Notifications can make a contribution to the broader work of contact tracing,” they said.
Under the notifications system, someone exposed to a person who tests positive for Covid-19 will receive an alert on their phone.
“Public health authorities will take the lead with this technology, and we will continue to support and advocate for it.”
They said they would release software updates for health authorities to use to deploy their own apps, developed by their own technical staff.
In Europe, most countries are leaning toward use of the Apple-Google platform but France and Britain have opted to develop their own systems, currently being tested.
The two US firms said 22 countries had so far asked to use their platform and they expect more to come on board in the coming weeks.
Amid concerns about the security and use of the personal data such tracing apps will generate, Google and Apple laid down several conditions for the use of their technology.
The first is that any app based on it must be voluntary, not gather geolocation data and not be used for commercial purposes.
In addition, only one app per country is allowed so that there is no competition involved while it will be up to the individual user to declare if they have been infected with the virus or not.
When the crisis has disappeared, the system must be taken down.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
“no commercial reason”. However, can be used for policing under existing regs? Why would you sign up to that?
@Sean Oige: they have all your data anyway
@Sean Oige: because it might save lives and help prevent a 2nd lockdown.. and help the country get back on track
@Sean Oige: You are against an App that has the potential to save many lives? … Even your own family’s lives? Sad that some are soo mé féin. Don’t worry, the rest of society will sort the problem without your help.
@Sean Oige: Ye you are posting on Journal from a Facebook account that sells everything about you from the ip addresses you use when you log in to whatever titbit about your life you have on that account.
The crisis will never disappear when governments have an app like this.
@Ed:
You do realise that if you have an iPhone or Android phone and/or a gmail account on either, that Google and Apple know what you had for breakfast.
@Sean Oige
You give all your details to Apple and Google to allow them to monetise you. Yet you wont give details to the HSE to prevent the spread of a virus to you, your friends and family. All because you think it “can be used for policing”. That really doesn’t reflect well on you as an individual.
@Feardorcha Ó Maolomhnaigh: Yes of course I know that. They don’t share that information with governments do they?
@Ed: Oh my God lol. Hope your phone is a Huawei for the craic
@Ed: Lol… Why do you think the USA worrying so much about Huawei..? These American owned platforms and devices have backdoors to the US government while Huawei’s doesn’t.
@Ed: apparently with the Apple and google system the data stays on your phone rather than with the U.K. version the info goes to the government or NHS. With the Apple/google system you can delete the data yourself, I’m a beta tester with Apple and the API has been installed on my phone for a month now.
@Feardorcha Ó Maolomhnaigh: everything you do on the internet in monitored even your comment they know who you are where you are what you had for breakfast unless your in a faraday cage when you walk outside your on CCTV when you drive around your monitored via CCTV and your phone. There is no escaping it unless your a troglodyte or Luddite.
@Seriousnojoke: If the US government had a backdoor into Apple devices, why would the FBI continually need to get court orders in an attempt to compel Apple to unlock phones of various criminals?
Apple themselves cannot unlock these phones, never mind providing access to third parties.
Huwaei are just an extension of the Chinese government and back doors are continually being found in their equipment, which effectively provides access to anyone who wants it.
@Tom Harpur Photography: Aye, it’s addressed in their FAQ, 7. Where is the data stored and who has access to it? “If a user decides to participate, exposure notification data will be stored and processed on device. Other than the random Bluetooth identifiers that are broadcast, no data will be shared by the system with public health authority apps unless one of the following two scenarios takes place:
- If a user chooses to report a positive diagnosis of COVID-19 to their contact tracing app, the user’s most recent keys to their Bluetooth beacons will be added to the positive diagnosis list shared by the public health authority so that other users who came in contact with those beacons can be alerted.
- If a user is notified through their app that they have come into contact with an individual who is positive for COVID-19 then the system will share the day the contact occurred, how long it lasted and the Bluetooth signal strength of that contact. Any other information about the contact will not be shared.
In keeping with our privacy guidelines, Apple and Google will not receive identifying information about the user, location data, or information about any other devices the user has been in proximity of.”
@TESSERACT2020: It’s not. Sorry to ruin your fun.
@Ed: they share that data with pretty much everyone
@Peter McKenna: Wrong.
Platforms like Google, FB, etc. are without a doubt cooperating with the US government.
Device makers like Apple are compliant with in-country data privacy regulations if the country they operate in has such regulations. Therefore what they do in the US is different from in EU. Tim Cook himself admitted in an interview that Chinese government has never asked Apple for backdoors, “but US did”.
Huawei is similar in that they’re compliant with laws of different countries. How they do in EU is different from in China, and no evidence suggests their operations or products in EU or other countries have backdoors to Chinese government except in Trump’s LYING playbook.
The lack of understanding on here about how this app will work is astounding. There should be zero privacy concerns.
@beebop: Ignorance is rife.
You’ll have plenty of people take their advise for this from random Facebook or Reddit posts. That’s how they work, unfortunately.
@beebop: its so funny. People just give away their private information everyday. Evil Company: “Would you like a free mars bar?” Average Joe: “Sure! Here’s all my my private data!. Need anything else?” Government: “we want to help you not die!” Average Joe: “nice try government but we’re on to you”. The irony is ripe with this one
No thanks, not for me. Best of luck with it though
The tin foil hats must be spinning like roulette wheels.
@Stan Kowalskis: the sponge heads like yourself must be soaking.
@Stan Kowalskis: its possible the tin foil brigade could be right this time
@Sean Salmon: Have noticed they have got lots of things right lately?
Big brother 2.0
Big brother by the Tech Giants – what can go wrong !
Roll it out now, we need this. Apps like this have been successfully used in Asia for months now so I just can’t understand why its taking so long.
@Tony Stanley: paranoia. That’s why.
Surprising how quickly Google were able to manage this
@Patrick Kennedy: When you have over 114,000 employees, an army of freelancers and a ton of cash to hand, things can happen rather quickly.
Every single person in this country or at least 90 percent have a tracking device that listens, tracks and so forth you’re every move. Not an app for me but apps like this would be much better used for tracking paedophiles, criminals on bail and so forth.
Technology has its pros and cons like everything, when used correctly its great but used incorrectly its a breach of human rights, just ask Julian Assange.
I heard quarantine is mandatory if you go to korea and it gets enforced very strictly via mobile phone app and people checkin in in you
In theory we would allow the ‘name and shame’ App how do we make sure that everyone who is affected is signing up and would they be whitelisted once they have recovered?
A little scary but someone while for sure jump in to for advertisement.
A
@8-Bit-Relic: Dismiss the last sentence. It was butchered by auto-correct
@8-Bit-Relic: they should be named and shamed ,if they still carry the virus knowingly and not self isolate.
There isn’t a hope in hell would I allow an Irish civil servant have access to my data like that. We have already seen the HSE flout the law by notifying employers before the unfortunate victims.
I would trust Google first. Mind if you Google images of Contact tracing Ireland you will see army guys sitting at a table with pen and paper like Fred Flintstone.
@Dnom: Dunno how you “imagine” it works, maybe try read up on it? https://www.google.com/covid19/exposurenotifications/
@Thomas McGuire: It says that you can be opt out…
Wouldn’t it render the App less useful?
@8-Bit-Relic: Course, though that your initial position.
@8-Bit-Relic: once you give your close contacts after you test positive, you can delete app or turn off your Bluetooth, information is stored locally on your phone
Something sick about this. Its not here for Covid, its here to stay. If you will have it.
Either the world is mad or I am. But there’s to many of I ams.
All in all, the waters are being tested for what you are willing to accept.
@Jerry Siakasiya: you can delete app or turn off bluetooth at any time, the information will stay on your phone and you give HSE details of close contacts if you test positive . People tag themselves with locations, join guest wifi , take selfies
Can you imaging what Gemma (OD) will have to say about this!! Christ her tiny little mind will explode lol… all her followers will have s field day.
have your say