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What if someone doesn't have a smartphone? Or a phone at all? How they (the police, government, whatever institution) want to track these?
 
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The Swiss flavor was launched the other week, and my subjective impression is that lots of people jumped to the offer and installed the app asap.

 
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GO. READ. THE. DAMN. SPEC. The API is impossible to use for what you describe. And this has been patiently explained in these forums ad nauseam. Yet a loud contingent here keeps righteously complaining that it does something that it in fact DOES NOT DO and cannot do, by design. You made a guess about how it works, and then you campaign against the ramifications of that guess you made. But you guessed wrong. The details of how it actually works are well documented and freely available. Go read them.
One sometimes wonders how people can read something without actually taking in what is written (of course that assumes that people really did read it, where “it” could be the numerous Macrumors articles and forum posts). Even such simple statements as “it does not access nor record any location data”, repeated ad nauseam don’t seem to register at all.

There is of course the possibility that those persons do not believe what ultimately would be Apple. But logic should tell them that if Apple wanted, it could already track you very thoroughly. Presumably that logical reasoning somehow doesn’t get through either (which would get us back at not taking in straightforward information).

Maybe one way out is the standard method that being able to explain something is the clearest sign that one has fully taken in something. Thus the standard response should maybe be to ask them to explain us how exactly this system works in their understanding. Therefore being forced to explain what they think is happening helps to clarify their thoughts.
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What if someone doesn't have a smartphone? Or a phone at all? How they (the police, government, whatever institution) want to track these?
This system doesn’t have to squash all possible transmissions, just enough of them that on average one person infects less than one other person. If that can be achieved, the number of new cases will go down slowly but surely.
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It would be fantastic if the opt-in also included a free pint of Guinness
If enough people opting-in allows for pubs to open (or stay open), maybe that could be arranged. Show that you have the app installed and the first pint is on the house.
 
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Since this is what you’re advocating (or the lack of “missing leadership” you’re bemoaning), then why are you okay with the government just mandate the implementation of this wonderful technology now, with penalties of fines/imprisonment for those who don’t comply? And then likewise mandate that everyone over the age of X purchase and carry a cellphone and mandate they maintain a plan?
Where were you when the government required that cell carriers are able to track cell phones? And why do you jump from somebody asking the government to do one thing (create an app) to stirring up fear that that is basically akin to asking the government to do ten other things? It is almost as if the mere desire to have a government is dangerous because it could do bad things.
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I think it's inevitable that everyone is going to get it, unless you seal yourself in a fallout shelter.
Sure, but for some countries it could take thousands of years at their current infection rate.
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The US government isn't even in the process of making such an app. Likely too late for it anyways.
Given that several states (including Republican-led ones) have reimposed restriction, it doesn’t look like that completely giving up is the inevitable course.
 
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maybe if we offered a free ad based Game with it and free storage and search engine ... and a beer? Or we could offer photo storage and short videos? And if you get Covid it just marks those that you are close to?? I knew we where screwed as a country of flat earthers, anti vaxers, super christians, and anti big government that can’t wear a mask.... may the odds be ever in your favor. I’m guessing april through July was beta and now July through Christmas will be 1.0 with a small update around school?
 
It saddens me to know with certainty that most Americans would be unwilling to take on a small act of service like this.

Why is the immediate reaction that (a) government has to build this, (b) government has to approve this, and (c) people aren't able to decide for themselves to run it (or not) without someone forcing or cajoling them to do so?

Why not enable anyone anywhere to use a Apple (or Google) sample app to do tracking?

No need to governments to do anything, just Apple, or Google provide an app and let people use it. I'd use it in a second. I trust Apple to protect my privacy more than Google, Biden, Trump, Clinton, Macron, Merkel, Morrison, Xi, etc.

If the app is done anywhere, why not just allow it to be downloaded EVERYWHERE? Then people in the US and around the world can use the same app.
 
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Why not enable anyone anywhere to use a Apple (or Google) sample app to do tracking?

On iOS, people could open Health, slide the Confirmed COVID-19 Positive widget, and done. No need for silos and government monkey business.
 
Thank you, I know what DOA stands for, I want to know why they posted that.
Because in the USA. Few will use it.
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On iOS, people could open Health, slide the Confirmed COVID-19 Positive widget, and done. No need for silos and government monkey business.
Explain how I can turn it on. It’s grey out.
 
Thank you, I know what DOA stands for, I want to know why they posted that.

But this article is about Ireland not the USA.

btw, replying to v -man above, but macrumours makes the reply makes look like I’m replying to a different post, confusing.
 
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On iOS, people could open Health, slide the Confirmed COVID-19 Positive widget, and done. No need for silos and government monkey business.
Nope, if you don’t have some mechanism to limit who can indicate that they tested positive, you will inevitably get idiots marking themselves positive just to f with the system.

The mechanism used to prevent this is left up to each government that writes a front-end app, but the most common suggestion is that once you get a positive test, whoever did the test gives you a one-time-use QR code, and the only way to trigger the “I tested positive” mechanism in the app is to scan that QR code.

It necessarily requires some authentication of the people administering tests, to avoid such shenanigan, and that is best left up to each country or state.
 
But this article is about Ireland not the USA.

btw, replying to v -man above, but macrumours makes the reply makes look like I’m replying to a different post, confusing.
I just commented on how many in the USA wouldn’t Use the app if it was available.
 
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I wish we had an app in the US. Considering they are built on the API of two American companies, it’s unbelievable that all these other countries are up and running and we aren’t.

Who cares if there are entitled idiots that wouldn’t use it. I and every reasonable person I know would it download immediately. It would help.

This is about each of us taking individual responsibility to protect the public good. Same as wearing a mask. The point is to protect others.
 
PSA: The Irish app works in the UK!

Download and use until the UK one arrives, and share to your contacts ASAP! No Ireland-specific content is required to setup, and it's available on the UK iOS App Store:

https://apps.apple.com/uk/app/covid-tracker-ireland/id1505596721

Read more:
 
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