Wasn't it down to the rigid inflexibilities of the NHS which is completely rubbish and unjoined up when it comes to IT?
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Apple Blocks Update to UK NHS Contact Tracing App for Breaking Location Data Collection Rules
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Absolutely. Time and time again during this pandemic, the British government have proven that they cannot be trusted. Whether through massive contracts being awarded to mates, outright lies/u turns causing upset (Christmas?), etc. Even their current campaign, "Data not Dates" is complete and utter BS. "We're going by data, not dates, but here's a set of dates that we're sticking to regardless of what the data tells us.
We currently have a 7 day rolling average death toll of 36/day, it's dropped much quicker than anticipated, but of course, we cannot deviate from the
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No.
This is where overreach always begins.
Wash your hands, wear a mask if in crowded indoor areas, get your vaccine. But do not give up your entitlement to privacy.
Two years from now (if not much sooner) COVID will be a distant memory, and I really don’t wish to be tracked for common colds being passed around (which COVID-19 effectively is, albeit highly contagious and devastating as if it was an escaped mutant lab experiment).
We’re not talking about other countries. We’re talking about the UK as a technocrat influenced observation state.
From a technical perspective, I’d like to understand how the current version of the app is permissible if the QR location check-ins are stored within the app (which they appear to be if you look at be app’s settings)? Perhaps because this can’t be uploaded, I don’t know.
I like the app but I agree that the core privacy rules need to be respected.
I like the app but I agree that the core privacy rules need to be respected.
Glad you asked!
The API traces possible situations where the virus could be transmitted. It does not trace contacts at a level which would be useful in tracking the transmission chains backwards or forward. The only thing it does is that it enables warnings for possible exposure. Interpreting those alerts is extremely difficult, as they do not give any information on the exposure situation (indoors, outdoors, masks on, etc.)
If the application tracked the exposures with all the available technical data (from whom, where, when, exposure time, signal strength), it would become relatively simple to calculate transmission probabilities in different situations. There could then be forward warnings in the transmission chain, and many now unknown transmission sources would become clear. There would also be immediate warnings of superspreading, which is an important mode of transmission in this epidemic.
Also, this data would give a lot of very valuable information on how the virus spreads in population. That information would help to plan the most effective countermeasures with the minimal side effects. Here we talk about billions in whatever currency unit you prefer.
So, an effective tracker would save lives and economies. With the tiny little downside that this level of tracking would throw privacy out of window.
(Edit: as a clarification, I am very much against this level of monitoring. But if you want to track the epidemic efficiently, you will have to be willing to sacrifice privacy. And this is why the Google/Apple API apps are very inefficient and offer little help to fight the epidemic. They are as good as they can be at the given level of privacy.)
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My understanding of the original intention of the QR codes was so that if there was a mass outbreak discovered at a particular venue they could notify anyone who was checked in at that location during the relevant times (the fact that they never implemented a checkout option made that a bit of a questionable idea). They wouldn't know who they were notifying, hence the users privacy would be respected
The update that's been blocked would request that users who had a positive test uploaded their log of venues they've checked into in order to potentially trigger an alert to anyone else who had also checked in. I'm guessing Apple and Google view this as a form of location tracking as a history of where you've been would be uploaded to the NHS
Apart from any privacy concerns, for me, that would be a massive change in functionality: You could start getting told to self isolate if a single person happened to check in to the same place as you and subsequently tested positive whereas you would previously had an alert only if you were in close proximity to the positive tested person for long enough to be considered a risk
Absolutely not. This change would make the app less palatable and I for one wouldn’t hesitate to delete it immediately if enforced.
Technically this discussion is England only. In Wales and Scotland we have our own apps, and as I highlighted on page 1, we have a solution to the problem that the English are trying to solve.
You have either not read 1984, or you didn't comprehend any of it. There's a reason Apple and Google made that rule, you apparently aren't smart enough to figure out why.
I would argue it’s far worse than most western countries.
If the app did all the things you list it would be far less useful, because most people wouldn’t touch it with a long stick. I would immediately uninstall it and suggest all my friends and relatives to do the same.
Yes! Good point.Wouldn't be a problem for Apple if it was Chinese app and goverment...
Mark Drakeford isn't a solution to anything. He's despised here.
If that was the case why didn't we just abandon the rules they set out last year and have a free for all?
The rules are there to be followed , every one knew what they were up front. As noted in another post Scotland knew this and created a separate app to do the same and England could have done the same.
Its not rocket science, they knew they would never get this passed. Muppets!
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They did use the Apple/Google API from the start, at least the start of it being rolled out to everyone. The version they created themselves was only ever test on the Isle of Wight.
And just to be clear even with Apple/Google API you can't use this abroad (travelling between countries) you need to download the individual app per country to be covered. That's not how the API works!
I have multiple exposure notification apps for the different countries I travel to for work, when you leave the area the app informs you you won't get notifications and have to swap your main app in iOS
You know how you have Nicola Sturgeon up in Scotland? We have Drakeford. Recently he was telling people that blankets and coats aren't essential purchases in winter.
The check ins are more exact, about where you've been especially inside. The app location isn't very exact especially if you have businesses right next to each other.
All the work of the Behavioural Insights Team (it's a private unit these days).
Behavioural Insights Team | Global Research and Innovation Consultancy
Bit is a global research and innovation consultancy which uses deep understanding of human behaviour to improve people's lives.
www.bi.team
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Sounds like a bit of a dafty, I am sure he'll struggle to get re-elected. Empress Nikola has so far had very strong support from across the political spectrum, though she did rather selfishly priorities opening up hairdressers.
COVID will only be a distant memory to you in under 2 years, all of the scientists (not politicians) tell us it will be with us for the foreseeable in one form or another.