Apple Sends Letter to Senators Confirming Privacy and Security of COVID-19 App

[MacRumors]

Apple last week sent a letter to a group of U.S. senators who had questioned the privacy and security of the COVID-19 app and website that Apple designed in partnership with the CDC, the White House Coronavirus Task Force, and FEMA.

In the letter [PDF], published on Friday and highlighted today by Bloomberg, Apple provided specific answers to each of the questions the senators had asked, and clarified that the app and website were built with privacy as a priority.

Consistent with Apple's strong dedication to user privacy, the COVID-19 app and website were built to protect the privacy and security of users' data. As you note, use of the tools do not require a sign-in or association with a user's Apple ID, and users' individual responses are not sent to Apple or any government organization. Access to important information and guidance regarding individual health or the health of a loved one should not require individuals to compromise their privacy rights. Rather, it is in times like these, that our commitment to protecting those rights is most important. Our COVID-19 app and website were designed with that in mind.

The senators asked for specific details on Apple's agreements with the federal government and/or state governments, with Apple clarifying that Apple entered into an agreement with HHS through the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health and the CDC for the development of the website.

Strong privacy terms were included, such as express consent required for any data transfer, the aggregation and de-identification of any information received by the CDC, and an agreement that any information obtained by the app is strictly to be used for improving the COVID-19 Triage Tools that are included.

The letter clarifies that the app and the screening site are not covered or subject to HIPAA laws in the United States as no health insurance companies or health care providers are privy to the information.

Apple says it does not collect any information entered into the website or the app, and applies the same data minimization principles to the COVID-19 tool as it does to other products. The only data that is stored is data necessary to support the operation of the app, which includes non-personally identifiable analytics information regarding the use of the website and app, such as total number of visits, whether crashes have occurred, and whether the screener tool has been started, canceled, or completed.

Apple confirmed that it commits to refrain from using data collected on the website and app for commercial purposes, and will never sell information to third-parties. Apple's full letter to the U.S. senators can be read on the web for those interested.

The COVID-19 app and website have been available since late March, and Apple recently improved both tools with links to state guidelines and self-care information. Apple late last week also announced a new partnership with Google that will see the two tech companies developing a privacy-focused opt-in contact tracing tool that will be added to iPhone and Android smartphones.

Article Link: Apple Sends Letter to Senators Confirming Privacy and Security of COVID-19 App

 

[Blackstick]

I'm sure these senators in their 70s and 80s will understand the letter just as much as my mother understands how to sort her email without calling me for help or force quitting an iPhone app.

We won't even get started with her Comcast remote idiocy.

 

[TonyC28]

“Apple gives credence to political grandstanding”

They should have ignored that garbage.

 

[UltimateSyn]

Senators: *disappointed*

 

[I7guy]

I'm sure these senators in their 70s and 80s will understand the letter just as much as my mother understands how to sort her email without calling me for help or force quitting an iPhone app.

We won't even get started with her Comcast remote idiocy.

It’s their job to understand. How could they ask the question if they didn’t understand the subject matter?

 

[Mdracer]

Side Rant: When is apple going to get rid of the awful 'Home Bar' at the bottom of the screen. it gets in the way of everything.

Case in point:

 

[len5]

Sorry but I'm not buying what you're selling same as all the other times I've heard them say it's " absolutely necessary" or it's in the "national security."

I'm surprised that all the privacy extremists aren't up in arms over this. Why are they so trusting of the government and industry now?? Guess nobody's learned from the past when it comes to the government and companies like Facebook, Google and yes even Apple.

 

[gsmornot]

I'm sure these senators in their 70s and 80s will understand the letter just as much as my mother understands how to sort her email without calling me for help or force quitting an iPhone app.

We won't even get started with her Comcast remote idiocy.

My In-Laws, “Yea, I hit a button and now when I talk to the remote it wont go to Hallmark.” Can you fix this over the phone. ”We dont know where the original TV remote is but it says cast on the screen”. Ha, we did in fact get it fixed. I agree a PDF is not going to fix the issue of understanding what was already easy enough to to follow.

 

[chucker23n1]

I'm sure these senators in their 70s and 80s

One of them is 74, but the others are 66, 55, and 50. 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[Jimmy James]

Also US government: Where’s our backdoor?

 

[MauiPa]

I'm sure these senators in their 70s and 80s will understand the letter just as much as my mother understands how to sort her email without calling me for help or force quitting an iPhone app.

We won't even get started with her Comcast remote idiocy.

You should never disparage your mother, whether she cares about tech or not. In any event, whether you agree with a senator’s politics or not, they are very successful and that bears some linkage to intelligence, so yes I’m sure they understand privacy issues

 

[ghanwani]

The usual song and dance. Judging by their history of protecting the people, even if you waved a hand grenade under the nose of a senator, they would just OK it as being safe for use in public. As long as it’s all done in a procedurally correct way.

This is the camel’s nose. Even if it is not abused this time around it will be in the future.

 

[DeepIn2U]

I'm sure these senators in their 70s and 80s will understand the letter just as much as my mother understands how to sort her email without calling me for help or force quitting an iPhone app.

We won't even get started with her Comcast remote idiocy.

I’m sure she’s doing a lot better on an iOS device vs Android with its complexity. Email sorting is rough for a lot of people just ask corporate users of Outlook 2016 on desktop

either way the response seems very clear cut and not so wordy to be sneaky.

“Apple gives credence to political grandstanding”

They should have ignored that garbage.

in sure this is for the public (the reply) not for the senators as much for grandstanding.

Also US government: Where’s our backdoor?

Denied! End of line, Dillinger.

 

[0924487]

* Google has left the chat...

 

[Alex GZRH]

I dont get it. They are not concerned about privacy etc. if the FB wants to have a backdoor or access to my phone, but they are concerned when it relates to my health?

 

[chucker23n1]

I dont get it. They are not concerned about privacy etc. if the FB wants to have a backdoor or access to my phone, but they are concerned when it relates to my health?

Hasn't Zuckerberg had to testify at Congress for this reasons quite a few times?

Apr 10, 2018
Mark Zuckerberg Testimony: Senators Question Facebook’s Commitment to Privacy

04.10.2018 07:00 AM
Mark Zuckerberg Answers to Congress for Facebook's Troubles
Tensions around Facebook's privacy and ad practices have escalated dramatically since the last time the company sat before Congress.

TECHNOLOGY NEWS OCTOBER 23, 2019 / 12:06 PM / 6 MONTHS AGO
Facebook's Zuckerberg grilled in U.S. Congress on digital currency, privacy, elections

We can argue over the effectiveness, but I don't see how you can draw the conclusion that they are "not concerned".

 

[ghanwani]

Hasn't Zuckerberg had to testify at Congress for this reasons quite a few times?

Apr 10, 2018
Mark Zuckerberg Testimony: Senators Question Facebook’s Commitment to Privacy

04.10.2018 07:00 AM
Mark Zuckerberg Answers to Congress for Facebook's Troubles
Tensions around Facebook's privacy and ad practices have escalated dramatically since the last time the company sat before Congress.

TECHNOLOGY NEWS OCTOBER 23, 2019 / 12:06 PM / 6 MONTHS AGO
Facebook's Zuckerberg grilled in U.S. Congress on digital currency, privacy, elections

We can argue over the effectiveness, but I don't see how you can draw the conclusion that they are "not concerned".

Just because they do a song and dance around it doesn’t mean they are concerned. One might argue they are concerned if we actually stopped learning about privacy violations by companies on a regular basis. Here we have companies applying to congress to violate our privacy, all in the name of making us safer!

The same people that brought us TSA screening to keep us safer.

TSA airport screeners’ ability to detect weapons declared “pitiful”

Security measures under “full system review.” Agency considering using dogs.

arstechnica.com

 

[1146331]

I dont get it. They are not concerned about privacy etc. if the FB wants to have a backdoor or access to my phone, but they are concerned when it relates to my health?

They want to look like they are supporting your privacy so they get re-elected. What they do behind closed doors is always different than their public stance.

Now for my controversial statement:
MacRumors users: "Apple cares about privacy!!!!"
Also MacRumors users: "How dare the US Senators ask Apple about privacy!"
[automerge]1586873409[/automerge]

 

[chucker23n1]

Just because they do a song and dance around it doesn’t mean they are concerned.

Sounds like they can't win?

One might argue they are concerned if we actually stopped learning about privacy violations by companies on a regular basis. Here we have companies applying to congress to violate our privacy, all in the name of making us safer!

The same people that brought us TSA screening to keep us safer.

TSA airport screeners’ ability to detect weapons declared “pitiful”

Security measures under “full system review.” Agency considering using dogs.

arstechnica.com

I would have to check, but I'm guessing Cory Booker et al aren't really the prime suspects who drove TSA. So, no.

The thing is, you're simultaneously arguing for more government oversight ("stopped learning about privacy violations by companies" sounds like you want a watchdog agency), which I'm sure many will consider overreach. And then you turn around and criticize the TSA.

 

[ghanwani]

Sounds like they can't win?



I would have to check, but I'm guessing Cory Booker et al aren't really the prime suspects who drove TSA. So, no.

The thing is, you're simultaneously arguing for more government oversight ("stopped learning about privacy violations by companies" sounds like you want a watchdog agency), which I'm sure many will consider overreach. And then you turn around and criticize the TSA.

Maybe include the second paragraph of mine and see if your first response still makes sense? Thanks.