Contact-tracing app confusion raises fears of privacy headache
Centralised or decentralised? That is the question. Or at least it is for anyone keeping a close eye on the rapidly evolving development of contact-tracing apps.
With confirmed Covid-19 cases passing 3m worldwide at the time of writing, global efforts to contain and trace the spread of the coronavirus led many to suggest that one solution may lie in our pockets – in the form of smartphones.
With billions of devices across the world, it could be possible to identify when one person comes in close contact with another on a given day based off Bluetooth ‘handshakes’ from their devices. If an app used this data in combination with Covid-19 case reporting, it could alert someone if they may have been exposed to the virus and could help health authorities to track the spread.
No clear picture
While seemingly a good idea, using data in this way creates a privacy headache and no one has yet agreed on the solution. The simplest argument boils down to whether it’s best to deploy an app with a centralised database that the HSE or other health authorities could control, or a decentralised approach where the phone holds the data.
Ireland appears likely to take the decentralised approach, popularised by a joint effort between Silicon Valley rivals Apple and Google. The two companies released the first versions of their Covid-19 exposure-notification tools to public health authorities this week, ahead of a system launch in mid-May.
With a decentralised system, data is stored on the user’s device rather than being sent to a centralised server. The contact-tracing model uses anonymised ID data relating to devices and not personal information. This means the HSE or other health authorities won’t be able to identify who gets an alert, unless a user decides to disclose that information.
NearForm, the Waterford-based company developing the Irish app, has not disclosed any concrete details, but the HSE has said that it plans to launch a pilot version this month.
Across Europe, countries have been split over their approaches to contact-tracing apps. This week, Germany said it plans to adopt the contact-tracing solution proposed by Apple and Google, despite originally backing a centralised standard. In that instance, it was reported that the country’s pivot was caused by Apple’s refusal to budge on changing iOS settings for a centralised app.
“Here, have this free GCHQ app on your phone! It will log everyone you meet and keep your data in a safe central GCHQ approved store.” https://t.co/eneIPJDjkL
— Silkie Carlo (@silkiecarlo) April 27, 2020
A numbers game
As the ICCL pointed out, for an app to work as intended, Ireland and the rest of the world need to get it right first time. One small slip-up or mistake that lays even the smallest seed of doubt might be enough to scupper the entire project.
That’s because contact tracing is fundamentally...
