Concerns about track and trace app. *title edited by MNHQ at OP's request*

[TooTrueToBeGood]

I've just watched Matt Hancock on BBC breakfast and much of the interview was about the soon-to-be-released contact tracing app.

According to MH, all data about who you have been in contact with will be entirely stored on your phone, no data will be sent to some central NHS/Govt database. He stressed several times that no data would be sent to a central system.

Here's how he describes the system working, as I understood him. When an individual finds out they have symptoms, they tell the app on their phone that they are symptomatic. The app then alerts the NHS and the user is sent a test kit. The app also alerts everyone the user has been in contact with that they may have been infected and they too are sent a test kit.

How is this really going to work in practice? Obviously from a privacy point of view people should be reassured that their location and social contact data is not being sent to the govt (though many will not believe that) . However, we are relying on individuals acting timeously when they are advised they may be infected, rather than direct NHS/govt intervention to isolate them. How many people will dilly-dally and go about their business infecting others for a few days until they get the test results?

More importantly, how many people, especially those who are anxious about infection, will figure out that if they dishonestly tell the app they have symptoms, then they and all their friends and family will get sent a test kit? That will just cause mayhem.

did anyone else who saw the interview interpret what he was telling us differently?

I am very ignorant about technology so please forgive me if this is a stupid question.

I assumed the App would update the database via WiFi not mobile. But people on here seem to be saying the opposite. I live in a village with little/no mobile signal so how would it work for us?

I assumed the App would update the database via WiFi not mobile. But people on here seem to be saying the opposite. I live in a village with little/no mobile signal so how would it work for us?

Maybe the same way as 'WiFi calling' works? (I don't know but that sounds possible)

TO be fair to him a PPE (which I have just realised is the same intials as PPE which he tried to get) degree probably doesnt give him the understanding of how it works and is just saying what the people who developed the app told him without completely understanding

EMma The obvious thing would be for it to upload via wifi (like my work App). It doesn't need to be real time, it just needs to upload once a day. So when you get hime and can access wifi would be fine.

I live in an area of mixed signal strength, can be out of signal for half of the day. It isn't unusual and the developers would have included it in their plans - another reason the IoW is a good place to pilot it!

So you don't understand how the tech works either but default to a "the government is definitely lying" position?
Any responsible citizen would take that as their default position with this government. Whenever lies won’t wash or can’t be spun to something more palatable they will tell the truth. But it’s never the go to position - except for the rare instances when the truth would show them in a favorable public light.

People have been calling for us to
Follow other countries etc and complaining but as soon as we bring in things others are doing suddenly everyone's worried the government will know they've been to Tesco's
It is just one thing to help us try and keep under control , it will be trial and error I'm sure like lots will be going forward with an unknown virus

People are saying we want the same version everyone else is using. Their governments won't know if they went to tescos.

It's ultimately a tracking app. It's to record statistical data about health of people and their contacts with others.
It rolled out in China first.
MH does not work in IT, he might be assured by a member of the it crowd that it protects your data and helps save the public from catching the virus but...
... your nhs medical records are shared with so many people these days and your basic details is shared with insurance companies etc, lots of breaches in personal data have happened in the Nhs, he can't guarantee this app is not going to do the same.

MH -did an appalling job of explaining how it works. Both in terms of security & the virus.

He's just a mouthpiece for 'save lives'

The guy from the IoW made much more sense!! (Bob Seeley)

On another note -Kier Starmer is a monumental twat.

People need to understand how it works before slating it

AND.understand that 'The App' in other countries isn't 'one App'. There are lots of different Apps.

Let’s face it, whatever the loudest consensus is on Mumsnet, the opposite will happen. Think Brexit, Trump, ‘no one is following lockdown’ etc. From that I anticipate that the app will be a roaring success and most people will download and use it!

@Ilets no because they probably don't have Tesco's in their countries there are different versions on different countries but lots are just moaning they don't want the government to have there details or location switched on

Virus testing is needed to support any tracing app

@DoubleTweenQueen we have virus testing in place now in various forms with more capacity than uptake in some areas by the looks of things . It's been rolled out to more people and It will be rolled out to even more soon enough I'm sure . Plus promising news on antibody tests although knowing wether immunity is gained will be a long way off

Is everyone in the IoW going to be tested? Is everyone with symptoms in the UK going to be tested?
This app seems to be based on symptoms not test result

This app seems to be based on symptoms not test result

Initially yes! Anyone reporting symptoms will be sent a test, that is in line with current guidelines on who can order a test. When would you like to be told that someone you had been in contact with was symptomatic? First sign of symptoms or a few days later?

Matt Hancock is a very poor communicator
I really don't understand why he is a politician and think he should avoid public speaking
He comes across as a robot simply repeating the same mantra over and over or stumbling etc
But I can't go so far as to say he is a liar

20-25percent are estimated to be asymptomatic

20-25percent are estimated to be asymptomatic So? T+T is only one part of the wder startegy. Don't get hung up on it being THE ONE THING!

As someone asked earlier, does anyone know what happens once you’ve been told you may have been in contact with a case? Do you have to isolate if they get a positive result, for 14 days????
Surely every time I got to Sainsbury’s I’ll likely be near a case?

We will see the outcome of the trial and see whether it's effective

Main issue is the link with Cummings in my opinion. Well known liar and manipulator of data. Means I won't use it.

I'm still trying to get it clear in my head as to how it will work. I read something yesterday that says we would need to keep our phones unlocked. Is that true? I keep mine locked partly to save battery, but more importantly, so that if I lose it, noone can log on to it.

Yes miss!

I’m worried they will use the app to implement this as they want your passport details:

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/politics/2020/may/03/coronavirus-health-passports-for-uk-possible-in-months