App for one season: on Centre's directive to use Arogya Setu
4 years, 8 months ago

App for one season: on Centre's directive to use Arogya Setu

The Hindu  

The Centre’s national directive for the mandatory use of its contact tracing app, Aarogya Setu, as part of its COVID-19 combat measures, falls short of established legal standards for the protection of privacy. Going by the directive issued under the Disaster Management Act, all people residing in ‘containment zones’, all government and public sector staff and all employees, both public and private, who are allowed to work during the lockdown, will have to download the app, which also cautions against not keeping the phone’s location and Bluetooth on. Israel’s Supreme Court recently struck down emergency powers given to the country’s intelligence agency to trace the phone location of COVID-19 patients without enabling legislation. While the intention behind the app’s introduction may be good — as it is a given that the government is keen on doing everything possible to keep a watch on the spread of the virus so that the lockdown, as well as relaxations given to zones based on colour-coding, are effective — it would be well-advised to heed privacy concerns raised by the Opposition, allay fears that it may become a permanent mass surveillance instrument and ensure that there is sufficient anonymising of data and its limited access.

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History of this topic

Aarogya Setu contact tracing data deleted, feature discontinued: Govt tells LS
1 year, 11 months ago

Aarogya Setu contact tracing data deleted, feature discontinued: Govt tells LS

Live Mint  

The Centre said on Wednesday that all contact-tracing data collected via the Aarogya Setu mobile application has been deleted. While it remains in use, the government said that the contact tracing feature - flagged by critics over security related concerns - has now been disabled. “In accordance with the provisions of the said protocol, the contact tracing feature of the …

Aarogya Setu contact tracing data deleted: Centre
1 year, 11 months ago

Aarogya Setu contact tracing data deleted: Centre

Hindustan Times  

All contact tracing data collected through the Aarogya Setu mobile application to locate potential cases of Covid-19 during the fight against the pandemic has been deleted, the Union government informed Parliament on Wednesday. Singh sought details of the current legislation governing the data collected via the application and whether the data collected by it till May 10, 2022, was deleted …

Aarogya Setu app contact-tracing data deleted: IT Ministry
1 year, 11 months ago

Aarogya Setu app contact-tracing data deleted: IT Ministry

The Hindu  

Contact-tracing data from the COVID-19 pandemic collected by the Aarogya Setu app has been deleted from government databases, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said in a written response in Parliament. “In accordance with the provisions of the, the contact-tracing feature of the Aarogya Setu mobile application has been discontinued and contact-tracing data collected through it has been deleted,” …

Police in Australia co-opted COVID-19 apps to fight crime
2 years ago

Police in Australia co-opted COVID-19 apps to fight crime

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Biker boss Nick Martin’s murder …

Period-tracking apps are trying to make women feel safer about their data after the end of Roe v. Wade
2 years, 6 months ago

Period-tracking apps are trying to make women feel safer about their data after the end of Roe v. Wade

CNN  

New York CNN Business — In the wake of the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, women living in states that criminalize abortion are grappling with the possibility that their phones could now hold incriminating information about their travel, search history and menstrual cycles. “Flo will never share or sell user data, and only collects data when we …

COVID tracking app usage on the rise despite concerns of complacency in the NT
3 years, 7 months ago

COVID tracking app usage on the rise despite concerns of complacency in the NT

ABC  

In Darwin's CBD, Faith McMurtrie is busy giving her customers their daily caffeine fix. Key points: The Territory Check-In app has been used almost four million times since December Some residents are concerned about a level of complacency in the community The Health Minister is encouraging Territorians to continue using the app As she works the coffee machine at her …

Apple, Google's COVID-19 tracing tech saved thousands of lives in UK, about time India gets it too
3 years, 7 months ago

Apple, Google's COVID-19 tracing tech saved thousands of lives in UK, about time India gets it too

India Today  

Apple and Google joined hands to develop the Exposure Notifications System to contact trace and alert users about possible COVID-19 exposure. Now a report has claimed that the contact tracing tech has saved lives of between 4,200 and 8,700 users in the UK. “Our analysis suggests a large number of COVID-19 cases were averted by contact tracing via the NHS …

Google Covid-19 Contact Tracing App Flaw Could Leak Sensitive Health Data: Report
3 years, 8 months ago

Google Covid-19 Contact Tracing App Flaw Could Leak Sensitive Health Data: Report

News 18  

Google, in a rare turn of events, joined hands with fellow big tech firm Apple to bring forth a privacy focused Covid-19 contact tracing effort at the height of the pandemic’s breakout in 2020. The report, coming from The Markup in partnership with the founders of mobile privacy analysis firm AppCensus, states a one-line flaw in the Google Covid-19 contact …

COVID app triggers overdue debate on privacy in Singapore
3 years, 11 months ago

COVID app triggers overdue debate on privacy in Singapore

Al Jazeera  

Government forced to amend law around app after it emerges police used the data to investigate a number of crimes. Under the new amendments to the COVID-19 Act, passed in the Singapore Parliament this month, personal data collected by digital pandemic contact-tracing programmes can only be used to contact trace, unless it is required by law enforcement for investigations into …

Fine-tuning the State-of-the-app technology
3 years, 11 months ago

Fine-tuning the State-of-the-app technology

The Hindu  

On January 13 this year, subscribers of English newspapers in India woke up to full-page Platforms and COVID-19 The issue of privacy is crucial for government technology platforms and services as governments typically have a monopoly in providing public services, unlike the private sector. An assessment of the 35 mobile applications revealed that 17 mobile apps provide information on COVID-19 …

Apple’s app stores open new privacy window for customers
4 years ago

Apple’s app stores open new privacy window for customers

Associated Press  

CUPERTINO, Calif. — Apple has begun spelling out what kinds of personal information is being collected by the digital services displayed in its app stores for iPhones and other products made by the trendsetting company. Starting Monday, the additional disclosures will begin to appear in apps made for iPads, Mac computers and Apple’s TV streaming device, as well as its …

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 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 …

Govt gets notice after saying it has no information on Aarogya Setu creator
4 years, 2 months ago

Govt gets notice after saying it has no information on Aarogya Setu creator

The Hindu  

The Central Information Commission on Wednesday issued a notice to the government for providing an evasive response to an RTI application related to Aarogya Setu, the contact tracing app that has crores of users' data. The show-cause notices were issued to Central Public Information Officers of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, National Informatics Centre and National E-Governance Division after …

As Europe faces 2nd wave of virus, tracing apps lack impact
4 years, 3 months ago

As Europe faces 2nd wave of virus, tracing apps lack impact

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Mobile apps tracing new COVID-19 …

Dutch privacy watchdog says coronavirus app still needs work
4 years, 4 months ago

Dutch privacy watchdog says coronavirus app still needs work

Dutch News  

Dutch privacy watchdog AP has told the health ministry not to press ahead yet with its coronavirus tracking app, because various questions still remain about security and personal data controls. The app is part of a system and all other parts of that system should deal properly with privacy as well.’ Use of the app should also be regulated in …

'Aarogya Setu App Does Not Detect COVID-19 & Is Meant For Intensive Surveillance', Says Plea In Bombay HC [Read Petition]
4 years, 5 months ago

'Aarogya Setu App Does Not Detect COVID-19 & Is Meant For Intensive Surveillance', Says Plea In Bombay HC [Read Petition]

Live Law  

Activist Sudeep Dalvi has moved the Bombay High Court against an order of the Deputy Collector, Margao-Goa, mandating the usage of Aarogya Setu App for entering the premises of the Collectorate building. The Petitioner, through Advocates Shashwat Anand, Shrinivas R. Khalap and Chintan Nirala, has contended that usage of the Aarogya Setu App is not backed or mandated by any …

Aarogya Setu now world's most downloaded covid-19 tracking app
4 years, 5 months ago

Aarogya Setu now world's most downloaded covid-19 tracking app

India Today  

Aarogya Setu has emerged as the world's most downloaded covid-19 tracing app, according to the latest report by Sensor Tower. But while the total number of downloads of the Aarogya Setu was the highest globally, India was the fourth country in terms of the adoption rate of the covid-19 tracking app. India secured the fourth position, registering the adoption of …

Coronavirus UK: Tracking app dropped for Apple and Google tech
4 years, 6 months ago

Coronavirus UK: Tracking app dropped for Apple and Google tech

Daily Mail  

Matt Hancock tonight insisted Britain will eventually get a Covid-19 tracking app that works after ministers abandoned NHS-made technology following its failure in a trial on the Isle of Wight. Baroness Dido Harding, who is in charge of test and trace, today revealed the NHS's app did not work on iPhones The app developed by the NHS didn't work for …

Privacy fears over COVID apps by Bahrain, Kuwait, Norway
4 years, 6 months ago

Privacy fears over COVID apps by Bahrain, Kuwait, Norway

Al Jazeera  

Live tracking of users’ locations puts thousands of people at risk, Amnesty International says. Amnesty International has raised privacy and security concerns over “invasive” contact-tracing apps rolled out by Bahrain, Kuwait and Norway to fight the coronavirus pandemic. The UK-based rights group said on Tuesday an investigation into COVID-19 apps being used by 11 countries had rated Bahrain’s “BeAware Bahrain”, …

Opinion sharply divided about using an app to trace coronavirus cases
4 years, 7 months ago

Opinion sharply divided about using an app to trace coronavirus cases

Dutch News  

There is sharply divided support for a coronavirus tracing app among the Dutch and only one third say they would download it without question, according to research carried out by Delft, Maastricht and the VU universities. A further one third of the random sample of 926 people who took part in the research said they had doubts about using an …

Karnataka HC Issues Notice On Plea Against Mandatory Condition To Install 'Aarogya Setu' App For Air & Rail Travel
4 years, 7 months ago

Karnataka HC Issues Notice On Plea Against Mandatory Condition To Install 'Aarogya Setu' App For Air & Rail Travel

Live Law  

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday issued notice to the Union Government on a petition challenging the directions making installation and use of 'Aarogya Setu' mandatory for travel by air and rail.The plea filed by cyber security activist Anivar Arvind sought directions to authorities to make the use of the contact tracing app developed by NIC voluntary and not mandatory. …

Coronavirus: Government’s contact tracing app could ‘exacerbate health inequalities’
4 years, 7 months ago

Coronavirus: Government’s contact tracing app could ‘exacerbate health inequalities’

The Independent  

Only half of manual workers, the unemployed and state pensioners say they will download the government’s contact tracing app, according to a new survey, sparking fresh concerns that the system could exacerbate health inequalities. Adam Steventon, director of data analytics at the Health Foundation, said: “The NHS contact tracing app could play a critical role in the fight against Covid-19, …

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, …

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 …

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 …

Covid-19: Aarogya Setu needs legislative backing
4 years, 7 months ago

Covid-19: Aarogya Setu needs legislative backing

Hindustan Times  

The government’s decision to make the coronavirus tracking application, Aarogya Setu, mandatory in many spheres of life brings constitutional challenges such as the right to privacy of citizens. In 1996, in PUCL Vs Union of India, the Court formulated guidelines imposing substantive and procedural restraints, while holding that the right to privacy includes informational privacy and confidentiality. In the absence …

Google and Apple release technology to help with coronavirus contact tracing
4 years, 7 months ago

Google and Apple release technology to help with coronavirus contact tracing

ABC  

New technology that could help alert people who have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 is being tested to determine if it will work in Australia. Key points: Technology could help solve issues plaguing apps like COVIDSafe Technology could help solve issues plaguing apps like COVIDSafe App users who test positive would decide to notify people they …

Coronavirus: Government admits NHS app will not be ready for launch of contact tracing scheme
4 years, 7 months ago

Coronavirus: Government admits NHS app will not be ready for launch of contact tracing scheme

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. A spokesperson for Sir Keir Starmer said: “What we are calling for is for the …

Apple-Google contact tracing tool's initial version released, tech draws interest in 23 countries
4 years, 7 months ago

Apple-Google contact tracing tool's initial version released, tech draws interest in 23 countries

Firstpost  

Apple and Google said several US states and 22 countries have sought access to their technology. Authorities in 23 countries across five continents have sought access to contact tracing technology from Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google, the companies announced on Wednesday as they released the initial version of their system. Developers of contact tracing apps for Austria, Germany and …

Data | How safe is Aarogya Setu compared to COVID-19 contact tracing apps of other countries?
4 years, 7 months ago

Data | How safe is Aarogya Setu compared to COVID-19 contact tracing apps of other countries?

The Hindu  

According to a database maintained by MIT Technology Review, Aarogya Setu, India’s contact-tracing app to combat COVID-19, poses significant risks to the privacy of the user compared to similar apps in other countries. The apps in China and Turkey pose greater risks for user privacy than Aarogya Setu. The following table lists government-backed apps of 19 countries based on five …

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 …

How Effective Are Contact Tracing Apps?
4 years, 7 months ago

How Effective Are Contact Tracing Apps?

Slate  

This article is part of Privacy in the Pandemic, a Future Tense series. But we still don’t really know how effective contact tracing apps actually are—particularly in societies that don’t already have a vast surveillance infrastructure. Iceland’s success in managing COVID-19 might instead be attributed to other factors, including the country’s early testing of high-risk individuals before it even confirmed …

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 …

Kerala HC Seeks Statement From Centre On Data Privacy Safeguards Of 'Aarogya Setu' App
4 years, 7 months ago

Kerala HC Seeks Statement From Centre On Data Privacy Safeguards Of 'Aarogya Setu' App

Live Law  

The High Court of Kerala on Tuesday sought a statement from the Central Government on the data privacy safeguards of the 'Aarogya Setu', the contact tracing app developed by the National Informatics Centre amid the COVID-19 pandemic.The Court asked whether the Central Government can guarantee that the information collected by the Aarogya Setu app would not be misused.A bench comprising. …

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 …

Corona apps well-intentioned but privacy concerns must be addressed
4 years, 7 months ago

Corona apps well-intentioned but privacy concerns must be addressed

India Today  

A massive data leak from the mobile phone-based Quarantine Monitoring System of the Madhya Pradesh government has sharpened the debate on privacy around the central government’s similar Aarogya Setu app. While the idea of such data platforms and mobile applications world-over is to disseminate useful information regarding the spread of cases in the neighbourhood to people and assist government agencies …

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 …

With COVID-19 tracing apps comes privacy tradeoffs: Here's why you should be worried
4 years, 8 months ago

With COVID-19 tracing apps comes privacy tradeoffs: Here's why you should be worried

India TV News  

As governments around the world consider how to monitor new coronavirus outbreaks while reopening their societies, many are starting to bet on smartphone apps to help stanch the pandemic. “Governments and public health want to be able to track people” to minimize the spread of COVID-19, but people are less likely to download a voluntary app if it is intrusive, …

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 …

Can Australia's coronavirus contact tracing app COVIDSafe lift the country out of lockdown?
4 years, 8 months ago

Can Australia's coronavirus contact tracing app COVIDSafe lift the country out of lockdown?

ABC  

To speed up the process of contacting people who may have been exposed to coronavirus, the Federal Government is asking Australians to download its new COVIDSafe app. "If 40 per cent of people download the app, and if we're optimistic, half of those people are using it properly at all times — including having it running and open in the …

Here come COVID-19 tracing apps - and privacy trade-offs
4 years, 8 months ago

Here come COVID-19 tracing apps - and privacy trade-offs

Associated Press  

As governments around the world consider how to monitor new coronavirus outbreaks while reopening their societies, many are starting to bet on smartphone apps to help stanch the pandemic. “Governments and public health want to be able to track people” to minimize the spread of COVID-19, but people are less likely to download a voluntary app if it is intrusive, …

Coronavirus contact-tracing app could make 'privacy and rights another casualty of the virus', campaigners warn
4 years, 8 months ago

Coronavirus contact-tracing app could make 'privacy and rights another casualty of the virus', campaigners warn

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The coronavirus contact-tracing app could make the UK's privacy "another casualty" of the …

Apple and Google ban use of location tracking in contact tracing apps
4 years, 8 months ago

Apple and Google ban use of location tracking in contact tracing apps

Firstpost  

Apple and Google said they will not allow the use of GPS data along with the contact tracing systems. Apple and Google have said that they would ban the use of location tracking in apps that use a new contact tracing system the two are building to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. But the developers of coronavirus-related apps …

European virus tracing apps highlight battle for privacy
4 years, 8 months ago

European virus tracing apps highlight battle for privacy

Associated Press  

LONDON — Goodbye lockdown, hello smartphone. As governments race to develop mobile tracing apps to help contain infections, attention is turning to how officials will ensure users’ privacy. Some governments are backing the centralized model because it could provide more data to aid decisionmaking, but nearly 600 scientists from more than two dozen countries have signed an open letter warning …

UK testing coronavirus contact tracing app on Isle of Wight
4 years, 8 months ago

UK testing coronavirus contact tracing app on Isle of Wight

CNN  

London CNN Business — The UK government launched its first test of a coronavirus contact tracing appthis week on a small island off the south coast of England. The app, which was developed by the digital technology unit of the National Health Service, will also upload information to a central database to help public health experts study the behavior of …

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