Will you download the app?

[user1469530553]

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

[Rojelio]

Yes

[Delatron]

Yes. Finally we are going to start using strategies that other countries who have been more successful at dealing with this than us have implemented.

Without hesitation. It will also help us come out of lockdown sooner and hopefully prevent further lockdowns if successful.

Also, with no hope of a vaccine and a question over immunity what other tools do we have? Those refusing should think about that fact.

[Jellykat]

I doubt it'll be compatible with my phone (quite old)

One thing though, theres a lot of areas around here (even the town i work in) that have no mobile signal, how would that work i wonder?

[FourTeaFallOut]

Yes

[browzingss]

As a techy young person - no, especially if they do not conform to Apple’s privacy standards.

From what I’ve read, it sounds poorly implemented if it needs your display constantly on so you’re not allowed to lock your device, and if it must be the only app open at a time. It seems like the app essentially needs to be open and active all the time to gather the level of data the NHS want. So for example in a shop, you can’t open notes for a grocery list, you can’t use any messaging or calling apps, you can’t open wallet and use Apple Pay etc because the nhs app needs to be constantly open. If you don’t drive you can’t book an Uber home or check public transport times etc.

This has an impact both internally (battery performance/drain) and externally (screen burn in)

Also I’m struggling to see the point of the app. How is it useful to know if you’ve come into contact with a confirmed case? What do you do in the moment - run out of a shop and abandon your shopping? Are you expected to immediately self isolate? Are they also going to ramp up public testing? How are they going to ensure the privacy of the carrier? What if this leads to attacks on random people suspected of being the positive case in the vicinity? People may feel scared, paranoid, angry etc with this information, it’s usefulness is debatable

[pfrench]

No.

[Watsername]

yes

[smilingthroughgrittedteeth]

yes

[QuimJongUn]

No.

DD knows all about these things (it's her field) and raised some of the issues browzingss mentioned re security etc. And yes, what's the use if you can't get a test anyway? Are they expecting us to SI for 14 days if we've briefly passed someone in a supermarket who might have it? Because that's unworkable. If you're observing social distancing correctly and practising good hand hygiene, and not spending more than a few seconds in the vicinity of anyone not in your home, what are the chances that you'd catch it anyway? DH is wfh, I only go out to the shop and DD never leaves the house. Like fuck will I be told to stay at home for 14 days because someone I walked past in the street might be unwell.

Also, many people don't have phones let alone smartphones (DH for one). Surely for this to be successful the vast majority of people will need to opt in?

[LilacTree1]

This might be interesting for you

I don’t use a smartphone anymore, one reason was dire battery life.

news.sky.com/story/will-nhs-contact-tracing-app-work-experts-reveal-concerns-11980023

[Laniakea]

you’re not allowed to lock your device, and if it must be the only app open at a time.

^ if that’s true it sounds completely useless!

[LilacTree1]

“ Like fuck will I be told to stay at home for 14 days because someone I walked past in the street might be unwell.”

Anyone using London transport might as well isolate for two years and die of starvation!

[BenjiB]

No

[MrsSnitchnose]

No

[Cabinfever10]

No
Not only does the app track trace and store the data on 1 central server, but it will now also flag up when you spend more than a couple of minutes in proximity with 1 or more phones logging your exact location and the time.
We are not being told how long they will keep this data or what else they will do with it.
Even the Chinese government aren't using their app like that.

[Laniakea]

Tbh I’d sooner trust Apple than the NHS to keep my data secure - they don’t exactly excel at either admin or IT!

[Unshriven]

No, Google and Apple offered a far better system in terms of user privacy and performance.

The UK government want access to rather too much for my liking.

[Wobblysausage]

Yes

[Snowjive2]

No. They’ve handed the contract to people who were connected to Cambridge Analytica.

[Miriel]

No, and if they made it mandatory I'd get rid of my smartphone rather than use it. I only got a smartphone last year and am very privacy-conscious.

[owlstwooting]

I usually hate these things and like privacy, I only got a smartphone last month and I currently don't use it, but YES I will be downloading and using the phone and the app.

You can always just get a new phone after (hopefully) this is over if you are worried. I'll probably do that when (hopefully) it's over.

[LilacTree1]

There’s been talk of Chinese mobiles vanishing

I think this may be why

What happens if you have a smartphone and just use it as a phone, deactivating all else?

[RingtheBells]

I definitely won’t be, I may have done if it had been the Apple and Google one

[owlstwooting]

I get and I share the privacy concerns I really do, and the apple / google option was better than the government's chosen option.

I'm not trying to belittle anyone's choices, but surely health and public health are more important just now though??now

Could also buy a cheap smartphone if you can (that's compatible with the app), leave it on the app and just carry it along with your 'normal' phone separately

[Humina]

No, I don't trust the people who have formulated it.