Would you install and use an NHS Covid tracking app?
Poll: Would you install and use an NHS Covid tracking app?
Total Members Polled: 875
Discussion
A couple of threads running on the use of tracking but I'd like to do a simple poll of whether people would use it or not. Something like this helped the Chinese and Singaporeans to attack Covid.
There are many reasons why people might not use it or feel that Big Brother is spying on them
There are many reasons to think it might have false positives or false negatives.
There are some obvious benefits too.
However, I'm intrigued to know how many people would be happy to be tracked, if there was a government sanctioned app which enabled a lower lockdown regime.
Please feel free to comment on why you would do what you choose above.
For me, I'm a "Yes". Public health benefit (and hopefully greater freedom of movement in the short term is worth it. No coercion would be required.
I'd be deleting it after the crisis abates though.
There are many reasons why people might not use it or feel that Big Brother is spying on them
There are many reasons to think it might have false positives or false negatives.
There are some obvious benefits too.
However, I'm intrigued to know how many people would be happy to be tracked, if there was a government sanctioned app which enabled a lower lockdown regime.
Please feel free to comment on why you would do what you choose above.
For me, I'm a "Yes". Public health benefit (and hopefully greater freedom of movement in the short term is worth it. No coercion would be required.
I'd be deleting it after the crisis abates though.
IIRC, the app would trace your movements, not your contacts.
If you have an Android (and probably Apple) phone, it does this anyway unless you turn it off- check your maps history:
https://support.google.com/maps/answer/6258979?co=...
So adding anonymous bluetooth proximity and self-reporting of symptoms is less than what some dating apps want. Or is there something new being proposed?
To answer your question, I'd use it if I read a few trusted sources on how it worked.
If you have an Android (and probably Apple) phone, it does this anyway unless you turn it off- check your maps history:
https://support.google.com/maps/answer/6258979?co=...
So adding anonymous bluetooth proximity and self-reporting of symptoms is less than what some dating apps want. Or is there something new being proposed?
To answer your question, I'd use it if I read a few trusted sources on how it worked.
I would.
I've said on another thread but when voting perhaps ask yourself how closely you've paid attention to what your Huawei/Samsung or £50 eBay Chinese special phone is already doing with your data.
Apple and Google appear to be publishing their framework for their component in this and the NHS are going to be publishing the app source code.
That suggests transparency.
I've said on another thread but when voting perhaps ask yourself how closely you've paid attention to what your Huawei/Samsung or £50 eBay Chinese special phone is already doing with your data.
Apple and Google appear to be publishing their framework for their component in this and the NHS are going to be publishing the app source code.
That suggests transparency.
glazbagun said:
IIRC, the app would trace your movements, not your contacts.
If you have an Android (and probably Apple) phone, it does this anyway unless you turn it off- check your maps history:
https://support.google.com/maps/answer/6258979?co=...
So adding anonymous bluetooth proximity and self-reporting of symptoms is less than what some dating apps want. Or is there something new being proposed?
To answer your question, I'd use it if I read a few trusted sources on how it worked.
There's already a thread running with more detail on this so I won't get into it here, but it's built in a way that does not track your movements, and only tracks your contacts in an anonymised way - it's not contacts as in the contents of your phone book.If you have an Android (and probably Apple) phone, it does this anyway unless you turn it off- check your maps history:
https://support.google.com/maps/answer/6258979?co=...
So adding anonymous bluetooth proximity and self-reporting of symptoms is less than what some dating apps want. Or is there something new being proposed?
To answer your question, I'd use it if I read a few trusted sources on how it worked.
And in answer to the question posed here, provided it's implemented in the same way as has been published in the technical specs of it, yes I'd install and use it no problem.
voyds9 said:
Not only wouldn't I install it I have already turned my phone off and it sits idly on my desk and hasn't moved in the last 3 weeks.
I already don't trust them not to track it.
Quite! This is purely for the younger generation who will feel comfortable and safe by adding yet another App, whatever that is. Maybe I'm a trog, but my mob phone is for essential contact only.I already don't trust them not to track it.
Anyway, our SoS Matt Hancock has reassured us that the NHS has enough capacity to deal with this, even providing exact numbers of ICU beds available as of today, so I take him at his word.
Hope he's right, but whatever happens, happens and that's life, and death!
voyds9 said:
Not only wouldn't I install it I have already turned my phone off and it sits idly on my desk and hasn't moved in the last 3 weeks.
I already don't trust them not to track it.
What difference does it make if they do? What on earth do you think they could possibly do with that info to cause you 'harm' in any way? I already don't trust them not to track it.
The only way we can get back to a semblance of reality is either a vaccine, or technology-driven contact tracing.
Predict a load of people, especially middle aged middle class men, sharing on social media platforms how they won’t be used it.
Using their apple or android phone, on the same social media platforms they happily click the Ts and Cs for without second glance.
When it’s up and running adopting this tech will be invaluable as following lockdown rules today.
If estimated 4-5% of the country with this thing can very nearly breach NHS capacity then getting back to normal life clearly needs something like this ....
Predict a load of people, especially middle aged middle class men, sharing on social media platforms how they won’t be used it.
Using their apple or android phone, on the same social media platforms they happily click the Ts and Cs for without second glance.
When it’s up and running adopting this tech will be invaluable as following lockdown rules today.
If estimated 4-5% of the country with this thing can very nearly breach NHS capacity then getting back to normal life clearly needs something like this ....
Sway said:
voyds9 said:
Not only wouldn't I install it I have already turned my phone off and it sits idly on my desk and hasn't moved in the last 3 weeks.
I already don't trust them not to track it.
What difference does it make if they do? What on earth do you think they could possibly do with that info to cause you 'harm' in any way? I already don't trust them not to track it.
There's an exceptionally good article in The Verge that explains what it is, how it works, and what it means in terms of privacy and security.
https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/11/21216803/apple-...
https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/11/21216803/apple-...
pequod said:
voyds9 said:
Not only wouldn't I install it I have already turned my phone off and it sits idly on my desk and hasn't moved in the last 3 weeks.
I already don't trust them not to track it.
Quite! This is purely for the younger generation who will feel comfortable and safe by adding yet another App, whatever that is. Maybe I'm a trog, but my mob phone is for essential contact only.I already don't trust them not to track it.
Anyway, our SoS Matt Hancock has reassured us that the NHS has enough capacity to deal with this, even providing exact numbers of ICU beds available as of today, so I take him at his word.
Hope he's right, but whatever happens, happens and that's life, and death!
and that's with at best 5% of the whole country affected. So how do we get the 70% or so you need for herd immunity?
This will be the only way - if they play the comms right not installing it gets as much backlash as people sunbathing in a park then we might be able to use this to get our lives back.
Even if you have an inbuilt distrust of government and/or likely tend to overplay your unreliance on technology.....
cidered77 said:
yes we have enough capacity at the moment *with everyone at home creating probably the biggest single shock to our economy in living memory*.
and that's with at best 5% of the whole country affected. So how do we get the 70% or so you need for herd immunity?
This will be the only way - if they play the comms right not installing it gets as much backlash as people sunbathing in a park then we might be able to use this to get our lives back.
Even if you have an inbuilt distrust of government and/or likely tend to overplay your unreliance on technology.....
I don't use a 'smart' phone, I believe they are called, so I can't help with this survey whatever my distrust!and that's with at best 5% of the whole country affected. So how do we get the 70% or so you need for herd immunity?
This will be the only way - if they play the comms right not installing it gets as much backlash as people sunbathing in a park then we might be able to use this to get our lives back.
Even if you have an inbuilt distrust of government and/or likely tend to overplay your unreliance on technology.....
Our GP surgery was checking email addresses a week or two back. I wondered why.
Although my son and DIL have insisted on doing the supermarket shopping for us, I thought I would try applying for home delivery. I didn't get any further into the system than entering my email address. It promptly chucked me out by saying I wasn't on the NHS at risk list. (True enough, but I am 71 and have health issues.) I have never, ever given Sainsburys my email address.
It seems to me that the NHS has provided the supermarkets not only our email addresses but also access to, if not the details of our medical records, but information derived from them.
I am not altogether happy about that. I am sure life insurance companies for one would be interested in this data. Why should it have escaped the custody of the NHS?
Although my son and DIL have insisted on doing the supermarket shopping for us, I thought I would try applying for home delivery. I didn't get any further into the system than entering my email address. It promptly chucked me out by saying I wasn't on the NHS at risk list. (True enough, but I am 71 and have health issues.) I have never, ever given Sainsburys my email address.
It seems to me that the NHS has provided the supermarkets not only our email addresses but also access to, if not the details of our medical records, but information derived from them.
I am not altogether happy about that. I am sure life insurance companies for one would be interested in this data. Why should it have escaped the custody of the NHS?
Roofless Toothless said:
Our GP surgery was checking email addresses a week or two back. I wondered why.
Although my son and DIL have insisted on doing the supermarket shopping for us, I thought I would try applying for home delivery. I didn't get any further into the system than entering my email address. It promptly chucked me out by saying I wasn't on the NHS at risk list. (True enough, but I am 71 and have health issues.) I have never, ever given Sainsburys my email address.
It seems to me that the NHS has provided the supermarkets not only our email addresses but also access to, if not the details of our medical records, but information derived from them.
I am not altogether happy about that. I am sure life insurance companies for one would be interested in this data. Why should it have escaped the custody of the NHS?
Could also be that a system is in operation where the Sainsburys site automatically queries an NHS database of 'at risk' email addresses, and the NHS returns a yes/no answer, rather than the NHS having given a list to Sainsburys.Although my son and DIL have insisted on doing the supermarket shopping for us, I thought I would try applying for home delivery. I didn't get any further into the system than entering my email address. It promptly chucked me out by saying I wasn't on the NHS at risk list. (True enough, but I am 71 and have health issues.) I have never, ever given Sainsburys my email address.
It seems to me that the NHS has provided the supermarkets not only our email addresses but also access to, if not the details of our medical records, but information derived from them.
I am not altogether happy about that. I am sure life insurance companies for one would be interested in this data. Why should it have escaped the custody of the NHS?
Given the confidentiality issues around health data I would have thought that's more likely than the NHS sending out databases of email addresses.
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