Apple and Google to make contact tracing easy

[+ bigjoey]

The “trace” part of “test, trace, isolate” will soon be easier due to Apple and Google. While it sounds almost Big Brother, it makes “trace” possible without an army of people who currently are needed.

 

From what I have read, today a person whose job it is to do the tracing can only handle about two people who test positive for the virus. Even then, much depends on the positive person’s memory of where they have been and who they saw (this assumes the positive person is not too sick so they can talk) and the ability to reach the people who may be in danger.

 

Now technology will provide accurate information in real time at a low cost of not having to employ hundreds of thousands of people to manually trace and instantly notify the parties who need to know they have been exposed.

 

I do not think I need to point out the downsides incurred with the violation of privacy. There are safeguards that could be built into the system to maximize privacy but still fulfill the “trace” function needed to bring this pandemic under control.

https://www.idropnews.com/news/apple-rolls-out-covid-19-exposure-notifications-in-ios-13-5-beta/134801/

 

Please note that I use “test, trace and isolate” rather than “test, trace and treat” as commonly used because there is no “treat” at this point except “supportive therapy” while the body’s own immune system fights the virus.

[+ Keith30309]

The “trace” part of “test, trace, isolate” will soon be easier due to Apple and Google. While it sounds almost Big Brother, it makes “trace” possible without an army of people who currently are needed.

 

From what I have read, today a person whose job it is to do the tracing can only handle about two people who test positive for the virus. Even then, much depends on the positive person’s memory of where they have been and who they saw (this assumes the positive person is not too sick so they can talk) and the ability to reach the people who may be in danger.

 

Now technology will provide accurate information in real time at a low cost of not having to employ hundreds of thousands of people to manually trace and instantly notify the parties who need to know they have been exposed.

 

I do not think I need to point out the downsides incurred with the violation of privacy. There are safeguards that could be built into the system to maximize privacy but still fulfill the “trace” function needed to bring this pandemic under control.

 

https://www.idropnews.com/news/apple-rolls-out-covid-19-exposure-notifications-in-ios-13-5-beta/134801/

 

Please note that I use “test, trace and isolate” rather than “test, trace and treat” as commonly used because there is no “treat” at this point except “supportive therapy” while the body’s own immune system fights the virus.

Great post.

The privacy element is troubling to me. In theory it is “opt in” and completely under user control.

But I’m the paranoid type and am really reluctant to willfully surrender such a significant element of my privacy to 1) for-profit enterprises, and, 2) the federal government. Once a government has a power it’s very reluctant to surrender it - e.g., Patriot Act.

 

http://j2q3t5b8.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/General-Keith-Alexander.jpg

[+ honcho]

I do not think I need to point out the downsides incurred with the violation of privacy. There are safeguards that could be built into the system to maximize privacy but still fulfill the “trace” function needed to bring this pandemic under control.

https://www.idropnews.com/news/appl...posure-notifications-in-ios-13-5-beta/134801/

 

I have read elsewhere that what happens is that the each smart phone sends out a beacon containing an anonymized unique ID

and the logs only keep a list of anonymized ID's and not the location of where the proximity event occured.

 

Normal users would not be informed of *who* they were exposed to, just that they were exposed (and for how much time), i.e.

a normal user would not be permitted to perform a lookup from the ID to reveal the identity.

 

You can bet your bottom dollar that the system will be scrutinized by computer-security experts from respected universities and think-tanks (recall that the state of CA pulled together a task force to conduct such an analysis on the electronic voting machines used in all of the districts - from several manufactures - and turned up many loopholes).

[Guest]

So what I’m trying to figure out is does it distinguish between someone I interacted with vs someone I someone I, let’s say, passed on the street? I think the answer is “no.”

 

Two very different forms of exposure with one being considerably different in inherent risk. Not knowing “who” deprives me of any practical value from the “knowledge” and frankly is like crying wolf.

 

as near as I can tell, sharing the “Same space” with someone who’s coughing, sneezing, or speaking to me is much different than simply walking by them...

[Guest]

I’ll add one more thing. Does this methodology address “vertical” exposure? It’s been my understanding that this technology does well in two dimensions. But, what if I’m on the 10th floor in a location directly above someone on the 9th floor in the building. Would it show us to be proximate or separated vertically?

[mike carey]

So what I’m trying to figure out is does it distinguish between someone I interacted with vs someone I someone I, let’s say, passed on the street? I think the answer is “no.”

I don't know about this system of registering contacts, but the one used by an app being rolled out in Australia requires the two phones to be in contact for 15 minutes before it becomes a contact of interest.

[+ Hoover42]

I’ll add one more thing. Does this methodology address “vertical” exposure? It’s been my understanding that this technology does well in two dimensions. But, what if I’m on the 10th floor in a location directly above someone on the 9th floor in the building. Would it show us to be proximate or separated vertically?

It doesn't use location, it uses the strength and duration of the Bluetooth signal. So it should be able to differentiate between someone simply walking past you from someone who stood next to you for longer; that would work in three dimensions as well.

[Guest]

It doesn't use location, it uses the strength and duration of the Bluetooth signal. So it should be able to differentiate between someone simply walking past you from someone who stood next to you for longer; that would work in three dimensions as well.

Hmmm. I usually turn off Bluetooth to save battery

[samhexum]

The “trace” part of “test, trace, isolate” will soon be easier due to Apple and Google. While it sounds almost Big Brother, it makes “trace” possible without an army of people who currently are needed.

 

From what I have read, today a person whose job it is to do the tracing can only handle about two people who test positive for the virus. Even then, much depends on the positive person’s memory of where they have been and who they saw (this assumes the positive person is not too sick so they can talk) and the ability to reach the people who may be in danger.

 

Now technology will provide accurate information in real time at a low cost of not having to employ hundreds of thousands of people to manually trace and instantly notify the parties who need to know they have been exposed.

 

I do not think I need to point out the downsides incurred with the violation of privacy. There are safeguards that could be built into the system to maximize privacy but still fulfill the “trace” function needed to bring this pandemic under control.

You can bet your bottom dollar that the system will be scrutinized by computer-security experts from respected universities and think-tanks (recall that the state of CA pulled together a task force to conduct such an analysis on the electronic voting machines used in all of the districts - from several manufactures - and turned up many loopholes).

So what I’m trying to figure out is does it distinguish between someone I interacted with vs someone I someone I, let’s say, passed on the street? I think the answer is “no.”

I don't know about this system of registering contacts, but the one used by an app being rolled out in Australia requires the two phones to be in contact for 15 minutes before it becomes a contact of interest.

It doesn't use location, it uses the strength and duration of the Bluetooth signal. So it should be able to differentiate between someone simply walking past you from someone who stood next to you for longer; that would work in three dimensions as well.