Will you download the app?

[user1469530553]

The contact tracing app that identifies if you have been in contact with someone who becomes infected?

[uncomfortablydumb53]

Yes Definitely

[Tanith]

"Interesting that people on here trust Apple and Google with their info more than the UK government subject to UK law."

Cambridge Analytica were a British company, were they not? The current Government has shown how much contempt it has for UK law.

[LilacTree1]

Ringthebells "If you have an iPhone, Apple have your info anyway."

if Bluetooth and GPS etc is switched off, how much info do they get? Just curious. I have an iPad, but obviously it doesn't go anywhere at the moment!!

[Limpshade]

@QuimJongUn well then they won't be able to use an app then, will they. Not sure what your point is! I'm pretty sure I wrote "most", not "all" anyway. Sigh. Good luck everyone.

[Delatron]

I guess it’s a trade off isn’t it? The countries who have a handle on this and have done contact tracing and testing have a handle on the virus and have come out of lockdown earlier. In fact some of them didn’t even need a lockdown. So what some may see as an invasion of privacy has led to more freedom overall.

We’ve seen how successful contact tracing and tracing is. If we don’t do this we’ll have a longer lockdown or keep going in. and out of lockdown. I wouldn’t be worried about my privacy then as we’ll all be stuck inside for months anyway...

[QuimJongUn]

You may need to accept this as the new normal, in the same way that we had to accept lockdown

Lockdown isn't invasive of our privacy. Lockdown doesn't track our every move and store sensitive personal data about us to be shared with (or stolen by) god knows who.

@Limpshade lots of adults don't have smartphones, including DH and several of his friends.

[wheresmymojo]

Yes

[CeibaTree]

No definitely not. I wouldn't trust anything that Dominic Cummings has involvement with.

[Limpshade]

@longearedbat I imagine most adults have smartphones nowadays?

I can only assume if you do not have a smartphone, then you would need to write down your ID card number on a form and sign consent for this to be shared before entry - this was already the case at government-run leisure centres anyway as long ago as February (your temperature would also be taken and recorded on the form). It's only now that the two things - temperature and ID - are being submitted separately, and at supermarkets (the leisure centres are all now closed of course).

[Miriel]

The default settings on a Google account are very invasive of privacy, but it's possible to turn off things like location tracking, personalised adverts and search history storage. You can also do things like use a VPN and change its location regularly, or go through your phone settings snd revoke things like camera and microphone access.

I think that these big companies want to have all our data, but they leave options open for the privacy-conscious, because they'd rather not lose you as a user altogether.

The fact that Apple/Google want this tracking app to be decentralised and the government don't means I trust them more in this particular instance, yes. Especially after that reported comment that ministers might want the option of de-anonymising data later if the situation calls for it.

[RingtheBells]

If you have an iPhone, Apple have your info anyway.

[bellinisurge]

Interesting that people on here trust Apple and Google with their info more than the UK government subject to UK law.

[Tanith]

No. I don’t trust the people behind the app. Why aren’t we using the app that everyone else is?

It’s like Dyson making ventilators. Jobs - and data harvesting - for their mates.

[longearedbat]

@Limpshade that implies that every single person in Singapore has a smart phone. Can that really be the case?

[MrsGradyOldLady]

Not a chance. Quite shocked about Lampshades post. Is this going to be the future? Agree to government surveillance or not be allowed to be part of society?

[carriebreadshaw]

No

[Oblomov20]

I hadn't heard about this. I need more info first.

[MmNashville]

I do worry about centralisation of data and privacy. Combined with the vast power government currently has over our lives.

Has to have a balance.

[Aridane]

I don’t know

[Alondra]

No. I'm too aware how much national private data can end up in private companies and foreign government hands. There are various ways to keep track of your daily contacts without a "national data" approach. It can be done the German way or, my favourite, the NZ way - keeping a diary.

[Limpshade]

The irony is that I never did supermarket shops before Covid-19 as I always had home delivery, but since this is limited to 35 items now (and there are three adults, two children and pets in our house) I have to top up by visiting the stores 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Limpshade]

This is widely used in Singapore. You are able to lock your phone but need to keep Bluetooth on.

It's now a condition of entry to supermarkets here that you scan a QR code which invites you to submit your ID number to a government site - this is also for tracing purposes and you can only enter the shop if you have done this as entry staff will check your phone before allowing you in. You also have to scan as you leave and show the cashier the screen to prove you've done it before you can go.

[RingtheBells]

I’m amazed at the amount of people that would just put something on their phone without questioning its security

[RingtheBells]

If it prevents you locking your device surely you wouldn’t be able to use mobile banking on your phone as I thought being able to lock your phone was one of the conditions for mobile banking, anyone could grab your phone and have access to all your data

Maybe someone with more knowledge will come on and tell me more on this

[thatmustbenigelwiththebrie]

I will but surely it relies on you having your phone with you? I'm only going out to go running or a walk so don't bother to take my phone. Don't really want to lug it about all the time.