In the News Contact Tracing App

[Pow-Lo]

Is this going to be a good thing or would the 'state surveillance' aspect put you off?

The NHS have rejected the proposal by Apple and Google, which is a decentralised approach, which basically means it offers more privacy or less intrusion, depending which way you want to slice it. The NHS version of the app, which is now being trialed on the Isle of Wight, is a centralised model and is reportedly a bit intrusive.

Having done a little reading on the matter, I have my reservations on using the NHS app on the basis of the centralised approach. Had they opted for the Apple/Google idea, I might have been more receptive but I don't think I'll be downloading the app in its present incarnation.

Discuss.

 

[Dark Angel]

No app download for me until it becomes a legal requirement - which I reckon it will.

 

[Pow-Lo]

No app download for me until it becomes a legal requirement - which I reckon it will.

That's where my head's at. Even then, I'm not sure I'd do it; how would they police it? We get spied on enough as it is, as far as I'm concerned they can go whistle

 

[ogr1]

The Japs have already tried this.
Only 20 percent of the nation downloaded their version of the app.
The reason being is that they believe they
are immune to catching the virus.

 

[slim63]

No app for me even if it did become a legal requirement my phone does little more than allow me to text or say 'ello & that's just the way I like it

I didn't even have a photo driving licence until 3 years ago (ID card by the back door ) only got that as I needed to get on a plane

In short fuckem !

 

[Dark Angel]

Right. What shall we sort out next?

 

[andyBeaker]

The way it has been explained is that the data is stored on your phone.

If you display symptoms or are tested positive then the user taps a button on the app and then the contact tracing takes place.

It has been emphasised that personal data is not stored or shared.

Why does everything have to be a conspiracy??

If it saves lives and helps suppress this awful disease then in my view the more peeople that participate the better.

 

[Cougar377]

From what I've heard so far it uses Bluetooth, which will impact your battery life.
It up loads your contacts list to their servers, which is a breach of GDPR.

The bit that concerns me most is that they're apparently planning to make the source code publically available, which is a hackers charter in my view.

 

[andyBeaker]

From what I've heard so far it uses Bluetooth, which will impact your battery life.
It up loads your contacts list to their servers, which is a breach of GDPR.

The bit that concerns me most is that they're apparently planning to make the source code publically available, which is a hackers charter in my view.

In the briefing yesterday it was mentioned that it will have a low impact on battery life.

However, we will no doubt be given more information in due course.

From personal,experience I am aware that Bluetooth can be a battery killer at times. Question for you, hopefully you can answer for me; is there different 'levels' of Bluetooth usage or is it simply on or off?

 

[Cougar377]

In the briefing yesterday it was mentioned that it will have a low impact on battery life.

However, we will no doubt be given more information in due course.

From personal,experience I am aware that Bluetooth can be a battery killer at times. Question for you, hopefully you can answer for me; is there different 'levels' of Bluetooth usage or is it simply on or off?

Bluetooth is either on or off, in terms of power usage, there's no inbetween. Bluetooth battery usage varies....

1) on but not connected to anything uses less battery than...
2) on and intermittently connecting (which is what they say this will do) and...
3) on and permanently connected to something (speakers, earphones, etc) will have the highest drain.

Then there's the differnet versions of Bluetooth....the latest version is more energy efficient than older versions. In reality most mobile phones that are up to 5/6 years older or less should be on Bluetooth v4 or higher with some older high end phones getting it maybe 2/3 years ealier than that, so it's not going to be much of an issue.
The latest version of Bluetooth (v5), which has been around in high end phones for a couple of years, is even more efficient as it can send something like double the data in the same time as a phone with v4.

The more concerning thing about Bluetooth is that it is not a particularly secure connection protocol as it was never designed for encrypted data transfer, it's purpose is for device connectivity operations (e.g. music).

 

[Oldandbald]

The Bluetooth on my phone has a fairly good range. Easily connects to a speaker down the garden. So what happens if your Bluetooth is on and you live next to a bus stop?

 

[Cougar377]

The Bluetooth on my phone has a fairly good range. Easily connects to a speaker down the garden. So what happens if your Bluetooth is on and you live next to a bus stop?

I think it depends on how far your garden is from the bus stop....but once you're on the bus you'll not hear much.

 

[andyBeaker]

We really need to wait and hear more about how the app works before jumping to conclusions.

Sounds like a very nifty piece of design....who would have thought it twenty years ago.

 

[Minkey]

If it saves lives, and shortens the lock down I'm all in favour of it.

As for the loss of privacy, we are tracked everywhere by Google and Apple, at least the government isn't trying to sell us anything.

 

[slim63]

It has been emphasised that personal data is not stored or shared.

Nothing in there saying its secure, nothing in there saying its not open to abuse/hacking, nothing to say it will never be used for other reasons.

Like many other things in recent years if enough people agree/fall for it or however you want to look at it & sign up it could be used for other reasons without your knowledge or consent.

Governments have a history of trying to fool people into believing technology is for the good of the people & ours is probably the worst for it, you, I & everyone else is tracked enough already without weakly submitting to yet another layer of control wrapped up in meaningless platitudes !

 

[Dark Angel]

Tut, tut, tut! Somebody’s not been listening properly to the government propaganda briefings now, have they?

Naughty, Slim, naughty!

Mr Hancock has insisted it is "completely wrong" to say that the app represents a threat to civil liberties.

So, there!

 

[Centaur]

The ex boss of GCHQ was asked about all of this in detail on Radio 4 this lunchtime. In his opinion the data stored is minimal and the centralised system allows them to plot flare ups geographically which Apple system does not. This would obviously be of great value to allow for localised alterations to rules.

 

[slim63]

The ex boss of GCHQ was asked about all of this in detail on Radio 4 this lunchtime. In his opinion the data stored is minimal and the centralised system allows them to plot flare ups geographically which Apple system does not. This would obviously be of great value to allow for localised alterations to rules.

This may be so but when the pandemic ends (it will eventually) what is it going to be used for then ? will it be shut down (I think not) will there be a big campaign to tell the daft buggers that fell for it that its ok to bin completely the app ? (same answer) if its possible (which I doubt)

Sorry but I treat everything with government backing with a very heavy dose of scepticism, remember photocard driving licences only supposed to be linked to your driving record & nothing else, that was the promise …. what a load of tosh that turned out to be didn't it ?

To my mind its another layer of control that if we accept now we will never be rid of, how long before EVERY device has it installed whether we want it or not? …… not long is my guess unless we say feckoff right now !

 

[slim63]

Tut, tut, tut! Somebody’s not been listening properly to the government propaganda briefings now, have they?

Naughty, Slim, naughty!

Mr Hancock has insisted it is "completely wrong" to say that the app represents a threat to civil liberties.

So, there!

i'd rather remove an eye with a rusty spoon that believe anything that came out of that twats cakehole, i'm not even sure his real name is Hancock he lies about so much else

 

[Me!]

The Bluetooth on my phone has a fairly good range. Easily connects to a speaker down the garden. So what happens if your Bluetooth is on and you live next to a bus stop?

Get on the bus, go get a property guide and give yourself a good slap for moving there in the first place?