Will Apple & Google Use Location Information To Fight Corona?

With the never-ending dilemma of coronavirus and ever-increasing patient and death toll, everyone is thriving to find the apt solutions that help get rid of the deal virus. In this time, the medical health experts are trying to get their hands on vaccines and medicines and working day and night to create a new solution that either immune the patients or help them recover.

But medical health experts aren’t the only people trying to work their way around things because biggest tech rivals such as Google and Apple have joined hands to develop an app that helps locate people who might have been exposed to the virus or are infected. According to previous notions, the apps would locate the potentially infected people through GPS, but the latest report resonates oppositely.

This Monday, Apple and Google have stated that they will ban the use of location tracking for the contact tracing system within the apps. It is known to everyone that Google and Apple were working on the tracing system with an aim to slow down the spread of coronavirus. At this point, it is essential to note that the operating systems of Google and Apple are responsible for running 99% of smartphones.

When such power players, the app or system that will be designed for notifying the people for apparent chances of COVID-19. The app will work by notifying the people if they have been to the infected area or near the people who were tested positive for COVID-19. However, according to the developers, they don’t intend to provide public access to the app because only health authorities will be given access to the technology.

According to Apple and Google, they are on their feet to design a platform or tech system through the government can gather data about the public and their apparent chances of catching the virus. However, they mean no hindrance in privacy and security. So, it is highly likely that the system will imply the Bluetooth signals.

The Bluetooth signals will be detected from the phones. These signals will help in detecting possible encounters with infected people, but one thing is for sure that it will not store or utilize the location information. After this statement, Reuters was informed that GPS and location data were essential to be utilized because that’s the only way it tends to work.

Also, the GPS and location data shall be worked upon in integration with the contact tracing system to keep a tab on hotspots and where the outbreak can possibly move. But still, Apple and Google have stated that they don’t want to breach the privacy of the users. However, according to health authorities, they will need the location information, and they are relying on tech rivals for that.

According to Apple and Google, if health authorities need the location and tracking information, the workaround system can be created, but they will suck out the system’s battery. However, the notion might not be successful because smartphone users tend to turn off Bluetooth for saving the battery, and they won’t turn it on unless they have to communicate or transfer the files.

What Does Twenty Say?

If you aren’t aware of what Twenty is, it is the software company that was involved in the development of Utah’s Healthy Together contact tracing app. With that app, they utilized Bluetooth and GPS data collection, which helps in offering better performance when it comes down to operations and productive results.

According to Twenty, they are yielding positive results from their app, but if Apple and Google’s system is more effective, they will be flexible enough to incorporate similar features in their app. However, before integrating the features, they will ensure that it complies with the health standards set by the government and public authorities.

ABTraceTogether

This is another app that was designed and originated from Alberta, Canada, and it doesn’t gather the GPS data either. According to them, they intend to adapt to the system and features designed by Apple and Google.

The Expert Opinion

According to cybersecurity and privacy experts, the location data will make everyone look highly vulnerable. This is highly private because the health and medical data exposing can be pretty bad for the image.

How Will The App Be Made Available?

Ever since Apple and Google passed on the news that they will be working on the contact tracing system, every country has been pondering the utilization strategy, and according to the recent statement passed by them, only one will be available for one country. This decision has been taken to ensure wide adaption to new technology and to eliminate the notions like fragmentation.

Even more, Apple and Google have suggested that they will provide real-time training to the countries to adopt and choose the correct approach. However, the system will be monitored by the United States of America.

Understanding Contact Tracing

The contact tracing is the process through which people who have been exposed to the virus are tracked down and contacted to ask if they are experiencing the symptoms. According to the experts, this tool will help in controlling the spread of coronavirus and help get rid of the deadly virus to ensure that the world goes back to normal and lockdowns are disposed off.

This technology is pretty high-end because rather than sending armies to check the people, the app can be used and replace the manual working with utmost perfection. This is the main reason countries are adamant about getting their hands on such technology because governments will finally have something to control the spread of coronavirus.

This is because, before this technology statement, they had raised their hands to the virus as they couldn’t manage to control it. The technology or app is highly likely to be released by the May mid, as the developers are already testing the earlier versions.

The Bottom Line

These tech rivals are ensuring compliance with the highest standards of morality, and they have ensured that the app will comply with user consent before tracing and contacting the people. This will be ensured by the integration of exposure notification API in the technology.

Originally published at https://audiovisualaoce.com on May 13, 2020.