Aarogya Setu key to making transition into post-lockdown period smooth, prevent loss of lives; doubts about privacy, security unnecessary
4 years, 7 months ago

Aarogya Setu key to making transition into post-lockdown period smooth, prevent loss of lives; doubts about privacy, security unnecessary

Firstpost  

Aarogya Setu is also reviewed by other foreign firms who often tend to be critical about indigenous technological efforts of India. Like many other countries, the Government of India has launched its own Aarogya Setu app for contact tracing and alert users if they come in proximity with a COVID-19 infected person. Thus, it is clear that the Aarogya Setu app is not tracking the user live and collecting information necessary to answer HOW MANY type questions. Another Singapore based ethical hacker Frank Liauw, who had earlier code reviewed the TraceTogether app of the Singapore government, appreciated the security features of Aarogya Setu and expressed that data purging methods be made more explicit in the privacy statement. After comparing tracking app of 25 countries, MIT Technology review said that “Aarogya Setu scored positively on the timely deletion of user data and collection of only useful data but failed to score on voluntary use, limitations of data usage, and transparency.” Further, it said that India’s app is unique in a number of other ways as it offers several other useful features.

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History of this topic

Govt releases backend code of Aarogya Setu to enhance transparency
4 years, 1 month ago

Govt releases backend code of Aarogya Setu to enhance transparency

The Hindu  

The government on Friday released the backend code of Aarogya Setu in the open domain that will help people understand the functioning of the COVID-19 contact-tracing app and allay apprehensions they may have around privacy and security. The source code of the Android and iOS versions of the Aarogya Setu app was released earlier and the backend source code has …

Karnataka High Court Seeks Details About Functioning Of Aargoya Setu App
4 years, 1 month ago

Karnataka High Court Seeks Details About Functioning Of Aargoya Setu App

Live Law  

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday called for technical details about the functioning of the Aarogya Setu application to understand how data is shared of an individual who downloads the application with the Government and other agencies. App does not violate privacy, says Centre The Central government has stated that the implementation of Aarogya Setu application is supported by law …

Aarogya Setu: Govt. cracks down on officials over evasive RTI reply
4 years, 2 months ago

Aarogya Setu: Govt. cracks down on officials over evasive RTI reply

The Hindu  

A day after it was slammed by the Central Information Commission over “preposterous” and “evasive” response to an RTI query related to the Aarogya Setu application, the IT Ministry has issued directions to take action against the officers responsible. The official added that the Ministry has also directed the National Informatics Centre and National E-Governance Division to take suitable action …

Govt clarifies on Aarogya Setu controversy, to take action against officials
4 years, 2 months ago

Govt clarifies on Aarogya Setu controversy, to take action against officials

Op India  

A controversy had erupted on Wednesday after there were reports that National Informatics Centre, which designs government websites, had allegedly said that it had no information about the development of the Aarogya Setu app inviting sharp criticism from the Central Information Commission. Reportedly, the Chief Information Commission had pulled up the NIC, which comes under the Ministry of Electronics and …

Government Says No Clue on Who Made Aarogya Setu App, Twitter Responds with Memes
4 years, 2 months ago

Government Says No Clue on Who Made Aarogya Setu App, Twitter Responds with Memes

News 18  

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the National Informatics Centre on Wednesday said they do not have any information about the “creation” of the Aarogya Setu application. The centre has come under attack over the lack of information about the developers of the Aarogya Setu app which used crucial data of users like location, etc. pic.twitter.com/MD4QtXXrvC— Rofl Gandhi …

Aarogya Setu app | IT Ministry says taking steps to comply with CIC orders
4 years, 2 months ago

Aarogya Setu app | IT Ministry says taking steps to comply with CIC orders

The Hindu  

Following a show cause notice issued over the government’s “preposterous” response to an RTI query related to the Aarogya Setu application, the IT Ministry said it was taking steps to comply with the CIC’s orders, while adding that the app had been developed by the National Informatics Centre in collaboration with volunteers from industry and academia. The statement comes after …

Aarogya Setu app developed in govt and private collaboration, clarifies Centre
4 years, 2 months ago

Aarogya Setu app developed in govt and private collaboration, clarifies Centre

Live Mint  

The Aarogya Setu contract tracing app has been developed in a collaborative effort of government and private sector, clarified the Central government on Wednesday. The CIC came into action after the NIC, NeGD and MeitY failed to furnish information regarding the creation and development of the Aarogya Setu app through an RTI. The Centre in its clarification said that there …

RTI reveals Ministry of Electronics has no information about the creators of Aarogya Setu, govt issues clarification
4 years, 2 months ago

RTI reveals Ministry of Electronics has no information about the creators of Aarogya Setu, govt issues clarification

India Today  

An RTI filed two months back has revealed that the National Informatics Centre, which designs government websites and falls under the Ministry of Electronics, has no information about the creators of Aarogya Setu App. Saurav Das, the petitioner, filed a complaint against the relevant authorities stating that they had failed to furnish information about the process of creation of Aarogya …

Citizens Without Aarogya Setu App Cannot Be Denied Public Services, Observes Karnataka HC
4 years, 2 months ago

Citizens Without Aarogya Setu App Cannot Be Denied Public Services, Observes Karnataka HC

News 18  

The Karnataka High Court on Monday observed that neither governments nor private entities could deny citizens any services if they are unable to produce the Aarogya Setu app on their mobile devices. A bench of Chief Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Ashok S Kinagi was hearing a petition filed by Anivar A Aravind challenging the mandatory use of Aarogya Setu …

Government climbs down on Aarogya Setu by removing mandatory provision
4 years, 7 months ago

Government climbs down on Aarogya Setu by removing mandatory provision

Live Mint  

As the government plans to ease out lockdown restrictions from Monday, it climbed down on Aarogya Setu mobile application by removing the mandatory provision for the app’s download as earlier. Ministry of Home Affairs in its guidelines issued on Saturday about phase wise opening of lockdown said that the Aarogya Setu mobile application enables early identification of risk of infection, …

Coders flag host of issues, offer tips to improve Aarogya Setu
4 years, 7 months ago

Coders flag host of issues, offer tips to improve Aarogya Setu

Hindustan Times  

In less than 48 hours since the Android code of the Aarogya Setu mobile application was thrown open for review, at least 165 issues of various levels of severity was flagged by the software developer community to help the government identify and plug holes -- from the way it uses Bluetooth for contact tracing to typos in the text. The …

Aarogya Setu app is now open source: what does it mean?
4 years, 7 months ago

Aarogya Setu app is now open source: what does it mean?

The Hindu  

Aarogya Setu, India’s coronavirus contact-tracing and self-assessment app is now open source. Health Ministry launches Aarogya Setu IVRS facility for those without smartphones The Aarogya Setu app is used on Android phones by 98% of the registered users, and the source code for the Android app is currently available on GitHub, a collaboration platform for software developers, where code can …

Aarogya Setu, India’s contact-tracing app, goes open-source
4 years, 7 months ago

Aarogya Setu, India’s contact-tracing app, goes open-source

Firstpost  

At 12 am midnight on the 27th of May 2020, Aarogya Setu — India’s digital contact tracing app — will go open-source and be uploaded to a public GitHub repository. CEO of NITI Aayog, Amitabh Kant announced at a press conference that Aarogya Setu has been installed 114mn times, reached out to 9 lac contacts and represents a contact tracing …

Govt makes Aarogya Setu an open-source app for Android users
4 years, 7 months ago

Govt makes Aarogya Setu an open-source app for Android users

India TV News  

India's coronavirus contact tracing app Aarogya Setu is now open source for Android users, in a major development that will allay privacy concerns around the government-launched product. Making the source of the app open at a press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday, NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant remarked that the development signified "Government of India's commitment to the core …

Is transparency too much to ask for?
4 years, 7 months ago

Is transparency too much to ask for?

Live Mint  

While sheltering at home to keep herself safe from the novel coronavirus, Neela Chandra was overwhelmed with updates on TV and social media but wasn’t certain how to sift through the clutter. Based on Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s covid tracing tracker, over 25 countries have some form of contact-tracing mobile application, with a combination of Bluetooth and GPS-based proximity and …

Aarogya Setu app users cross 2 crore mark in Uttar Pradesh: Official
4 years, 7 months ago

Aarogya Setu app users cross 2 crore mark in Uttar Pradesh: Official

Hindustan Times  

The Aarogya Setu app is being continuously used in Uttar Pradesh with the number of people having downloaded it till date touching two crore, an official said on Saturday. NCC cadets and volunteers of NSS, Nehru Yuva Kendra and Yuvak Mangal Dal are being enlisted in COVID Volunteer Force, mandated to spread mass awareness about COVID “As per the information …

Protection or threat? Experts say Aarogya Setu poses national security risk
4 years, 7 months ago

Protection or threat? Experts say Aarogya Setu poses national security risk

Hindustan Times  

Data of millions of Indians, collected through the Aarogya Setu app, could be vulnerable to threats from adversarial state and non-state actors and pose a national security challenge, according to cybersecurity experts and former intelligence officials. Sensitive data of our citizens is kept in a manner where there is no unauthorised access to the data,” said Abhishek Singh, CEO of …

Aarogya Setu Coronavirus contact tracing app now reaches JioPhone: Know details
4 years, 7 months ago

Aarogya Setu Coronavirus contact tracing app now reaches JioPhone: Know details

India TV News  

Aarogya Setu app is India's attempt to track Coronavirus-infected people and curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country. Aarogya Setu now available for JioPhone According to a report by Reuters, the Aarogya Setu app has been rolled out for 5 million JioPhones in the country by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. This news comes after Aarogya Setu's …

India follows China's lead to widen use of coronavirus tracing app
4 years, 7 months ago

India follows China's lead to widen use of coronavirus tracing app

India Today  

India is aggressively pushing a state-backed contact tracing app to fight the spread of COVID-19, raising fears that the world’s second-most populous nation is on its way to Chinese-style methods of high tech social control, says Reuters. It made India the world’s only democratic country to make the use of a contact tracing app mandatory for its citizens, according to …

A quick look at the Aarogya Setu App and how it works
4 years, 7 months ago

A quick look at the Aarogya Setu App and how it works

Op India  

The Government of India has launched the Aarogya Setu App to assist the fight against the Wuhan Coronavirus. The user can set the radius at 500 m, 1 km, 2 km, 5 km and 10 km and based on the radius set by the user, the app will show the number of individuals who have installed the app within the …

Aarogya Setu: Lack of data privacy laws, transparent policies make app worrisome, say MIT researchers
4 years, 7 months ago

Aarogya Setu: Lack of data privacy laws, transparent policies make app worrisome, say MIT researchers

Firstpost  

The most worrisome part about Aarogya Setu is that we don’t know who has access to the database and it is not an open-source app. Now, MIT University has reviewed the Aarogya Setu app to understand how effective is the app, is it safe to use, and how it compares to other contact tracing apps that are being used in …

Aarogya Setu scores positively on collection of user data: Report
4 years, 7 months ago

Aarogya Setu scores positively on collection of user data: Report

India TV News  

Researchers at MIT Technology Review have given 2 out of 5 points to Aarogya Setu app on its COVID-19 app tracker index, saying it scores positively on the timely deletion of user data and collection of only useful data. Aarogya Setu scored positively on the timely deletion of user data and collection of only useful data but "failed to score …

Surveillance system or Covid-19 tracker? Coronavirus tracing Aarogya Setu app raises privacy concerns in India
4 years, 8 months ago

Surveillance system or Covid-19 tracker? Coronavirus tracing Aarogya Setu app raises privacy concerns in India

Hindustan Times  

As India enters an extended coronavirus lockdown, the government is actively pursuing contact tracing to help control infections. In this Thursday, May 7, 2020 photo, an Indian man uses Aarogya Setu app on his mobile phone in New Delhi, India. In April, India launched the Aarogya Setu app, which helps people identify whether they have been near someone who tested …

Watch | How does the Aarogya Setu app work?
4 years, 8 months ago

Watch | How does the Aarogya Setu app work?

The Hindu  

Aarogya Setu App, India's main contact tracing technology, was launched on April 2nd this year. Aarogya Setu is designed to keep track of other app users that a person came in contact with. It will keep a record of all other Aarogya Setu users that it detected nearby using Bluetooth. Therefore Aarogya Setu users have little choice but to accept …

Today’s cache | Security issue in Aarogya Setu app, and more
4 years, 8 months ago

Today’s cache | Security issue in Aarogya Setu app, and more

The Hindu  

India’s Aarogya Setu app has been flagged for security issue that will put data of 90 million Indians at risk, a cybersecurity expert says. Hacker finds security issue in Aarogya Setu App A French cybersecurity expert and ethical hacker, who goes by the name ‘Elliot Alderson,’ flagged security issues within the Aarogya Setu app. The team has also denied that …

Aarogya Setu: Phones without app will draw punishment for users in Noida, Greater Noida
4 years, 8 months ago

Aarogya Setu: Phones without app will draw punishment for users in Noida, Greater Noida

Live Mint  

The Covid-19 tracker—'Aarogya Setu' app—is now mandatory for all smartphone users in Noida and Greater Noida. The app has been made mandatory for government employees and private employees in the country and now Noida Police has issued an order that asks all residents to download Aarogya Setu on their smartphones. Not having the 'Aarogya Setu' app on smartphones while out …

Coronavirus Outbreak: Aarogya Setu team says 'no user data at risk' after French hacker raises concerns over 'security of 90 million Indians'
4 years, 8 months ago

Coronavirus Outbreak: Aarogya Setu team says 'no user data at risk' after French hacker raises concerns over 'security of 90 million Indians'

Firstpost  

The official handle of Aarogya Setu contact-tracing app, developed by the National Informatics Centre, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, asserted late on Tuesday that “no personal information of any user has been proven to be at risk”. The official handle of the Aarogya Setu contact-tracing app, developed by the National Informatics Centre, under the Ministry of Electronics …

Sensitive nature of data validates privacy concerns over Centre's Aarogya Setu app; legislation with 'sunset clause' can curb potential misuse
4 years, 8 months ago

Sensitive nature of data validates privacy concerns over Centre's Aarogya Setu app; legislation with 'sunset clause' can curb potential misuse

Firstpost  

The Aarogya Setu app generates a unique ID for each user and it keeps a track of all other IDs coming in contact with it and the GPS location and time of said contact. The app generates a unique ID for each user and it keeps track of all other IDs coming in contact with it and the GPS location …

Aarogya Setu app is a powerful companion to protect people: Ravi Shankar Prasad
4 years, 8 months ago

Aarogya Setu app is a powerful companion to protect people: Ravi Shankar Prasad

India TV News  

Aarogya Setu is a powerful companion which protects people, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday said in his response to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who raised doubts over the coronavirus tracker app. Gandhi, in a tweet, alleged that the app was outsourced to a private operator "with no institutional oversight" while also raising concerns over data security and privacy. …

Workers sign petition urging govt to issue advisory clarifying that 'Aarogya Setu' app isn't mandatory
4 years, 8 months ago

Workers sign petition urging govt to issue advisory clarifying that 'Aarogya Setu' app isn't mandatory

Firstpost  

While launched as a voluntary measure, the app was recently made compulsory for Prasar Bharti and Indian Army employees. On 2 April, the government launched Aarogya Setu, a contact tracing app aimed at helping track and control the spread of COVID-19 in the country. This has moved workers across 37 organisations, including “labour unions, and 75 prominent individuals”, to sign …

‘Privacy minefield’: India COVID-19 app raises surveillance fears
4 years, 8 months ago

‘Privacy minefield’: India COVID-19 app raises surveillance fears

Al Jazeera  

Experts raise privacy concerns over government’s Aarogya Setu app, now mandatory for public and private sector workers. Indian authorities have made a contact-tracing mobile app mandatory for all public and private sector employees, raising concerns among digital rights experts about privacy and increased surveillance. “Use of Aarogya Setu app shall be made mandatory for all employees, both private and public,” …

Aarogya Setu app and data privacy: Why the outrage is misplaced
4 years, 8 months ago

Aarogya Setu app and data privacy: Why the outrage is misplaced

Op India  

The word Privacy basically means “freedom from unauthorized intrusion”, therefore when something is felt to be private by a person it means there are sensitivities involved and constitutes privacy. As a society, we tend to often get confused when on one side there are people fighting tooth and nail on privacy with government and on the other side we see …

Centre tells its employees to download Aarogya Setu app
4 years, 8 months ago

Centre tells its employees to download Aarogya Setu app

Hindustan Times  

The central government has ordered all of its departments to ensure their staff install the Aarogya Setu mobile application and attend offices only if they have been classified as “safe” or “low risk” according to it, according to an order issued on Wednesday. “Before starting for office, they should review their status on Aarogya Setu and commute only when the …

All Central govt. officials to use Aarogya Setu app
4 years, 8 months ago

All Central govt. officials to use Aarogya Setu app

The Hindu  

All Central government officials, including the outsourced workforce, have been directed to immediately download the Aarogya Setu App on their mobile phones. The officials, through an office memorandum on Wednesday, have been told by the Department of Personnel and Training to review their status on the app before starting for office and commute only when it shows their status as …

Coronavirus | What are the concerns around the Aarogya Setu app?
4 years, 8 months ago

Coronavirus | What are the concerns around the Aarogya Setu app?

The Hindu  

The story so far: On April 2, the AarogyaSetu app — for pan-India use and available in 11 languages — was launched as the main contact tracing technology endorsed by the Central government. The AarogyaSetu app faces the same issue as every other contact tracing technology that has come up during the pandemic period — it is people dependent. Jason …

CBSE Promotes Aarogya Setu App, Asks Schools to Sign Up Parents
4 years, 8 months ago

CBSE Promotes Aarogya Setu App, Asks Schools to Sign Up Parents

The Quint  

The Central Board of Secondary Education on Thursday, 23 April, asked schools to urge parents to download the government's Aarogya Setu app, in an effort to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. From India’s public broadcaster Prasar Bharati to private educational institutions, like Sharda University and Mother’s International School, many have made it mandatory to download the app On …

Aarogya Setu not a magic tool; it breaches privacy
4 years, 8 months ago

Aarogya Setu not a magic tool; it breaches privacy

Deccan Chronicle  

On April 14, Prasar Bharati issued an office memorandum making it mandatory for its staff to install the Aarogya Setu app. There are apprehensions that the government may eventually make it compulsory, like Aadhaar once was, to run the downloaded app in order to either access government facilities and services or even to enter public spaces. This does not appear …

Army tells personnel to use cyber safety precautions while using Aarogya Setu app
4 years, 8 months ago

Army tells personnel to use cyber safety precautions while using Aarogya Setu app

Deccan Chronicle  

New Delhi: The Indian Army has asked its personnel to use the Covid-19 contact-tracing app Aarogya Setu with caution while following all cyber security precautions. While urging download of the Aarogya Setu app, it advised personnel to avoid it in office premises, operational areas and sensitive locations. “Existing cyber security policies on usage of mobile phones must be adhered to …

India is pinning hopes on apps in virus fight
4 years, 9 months ago

India is pinning hopes on apps in virus fight

Live Mint  

In mid-March, at least two government teams in different parts of the country started ideating on how they could use digital technology to fight the fast-spreading pandemic. “That gave international validation to our idea,” said Arnab Kumar, Program Director, NITI Aayog and member of the Aarogya Setu team. “How well will the privacy protections work depends on the competence and …

Opinion | The privacy features that are built into Aarogya Setu
4 years, 9 months ago

Opinion | The privacy features that are built into Aarogya Setu

Live Mint  

The biggest challenge in dealing with covid-19 is that infected people are contagious long before they are visibly symptomatic. Last week, the Indian government launched an app called Aarogya Setu to try and use data science to solve this problem. Over the past two weeks, I have been advising the government on how best to design Aarogya Setu so that …

Coronavirus Outbreak: Govt launches COVID-19 tracking app ‘Aarogya Setu’, here’s all you need to know
4 years, 9 months ago

Coronavirus Outbreak: Govt launches COVID-19 tracking app ‘Aarogya Setu’, here’s all you need to know

Firstpost  

The app calculates a person’s interaction with others, using Bluetooth technology, algorithms, and AI. The Government of India has launched a mobile app, Aarogya Setu, to enable people to themselves assess the risk of being infected by Coronavirus. Aarogya Setu will also enable the government to take necessary and timely steps for assessing the risk of spread of coronavirus and …

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