Technology Review is running a project to monitor and observe the development and deployment of automated contact tracing apps aimed at curbing the spread of covid-19.
Each weekday we review submissions, source information and update our database. This page lists changes, documentation, and reasoning where it is required.
If you have a change to submit to the database, here’s how to do it.
Wednesday May 13
Downgraded Norway‘s rating for minimization because it is centrally collecting GPS data for every user, infected or not, for 30 days—almost certainly not needed based on what we know about how this technology works.
Downgraded Norway‘s rating for transparency. They’re not entirely clear about how the data collection works, and it is not open source—which isn’t disqualifying in and of itself, but isn’t supplemented with enough data to counterbalance.
Tuesday May 12
Upgraded Italy‘s data destruction rating based on this policy document.
Updated the entry for Cyprus, confirming government involvement, user numbers, location method and upgrading the rating for its data destruction policy.
Monday May 11
Updated Australian user numbers to 5.3 million.
Added entry for Malaysia.
Added entry for North Macedonia.
Germany announced it will switch to the Apple-Google protocol.
Downgraded Australia‘s rating for transparency. Key technical details appear to be hidden, and users report a lack of response when submitting bugs or reporting vulnerabilities.
Friday May 8
Added entry for Turkey. People who test positive are mandated to download the app, and data is shared with police.
Updated language on Norway to reflect that it launched before the Apple-Google announcement.
