Apple and Google announced a collaboration to release a COVID-19 contact tracing API at the end of last week. It will enable health departments around the country to release apps to track and contain the pandemic but there are still privacy and security concerns even though Apple and Google have described how the approach will work anonymously via Bluetooth as well as questions about how it will all roll out to users. Here are a couple of ways we could see health departments across the US implement Apple and Google’s contact tracing API in iOS and Android apps to move us closer to reopening society (or at least portions of it).
Executive Director at the non-profit Voting Works, Ben Adida shared optimism on Twitter about Apple and Google’s contact tracing software as a path to reopening society as a vaccine is in the works.
After diving into the documentation from Apple and Google he highlighted how privacy and security concerns can be addressed with the API, how we could see the apps roll out through “clumps of counties” as one of the best options to move toward reopening society, and more.
He notes the API means Apple & Google have done the heavy lifting and will make it easier for local health departments to build contact tracing apps.
For privacy and security, he said most of the pieces are in place with user anonymity and data staying on users’ devices. But some fine details will need to be ironed out…
When it comes to how the contact tracing API will be implemented, suggests that we could see counties band together in the US to create apps.
Adida mentions that it could help drive contact tracing app adoption and help local authorities make decisions on when to reopen society.
He also shared that Apple and Google could opt to use a system notification on iOS and Android to drive app use.
After talking a bit about making apps open-source, Adida also notes how health departments could tie-in testing directly with the apps for a more efficient system of containing the pandemic.
If you’re curious about Apple and Google’s contact tracing API and how all of this might come together, the whole thread is definitely worth a read.
One way to track the spread of COVID-19 across a population is through contact tracing. Apple and Google today announced a “joint effort” that leverages Bluetooth on Android and iOS phones to “help governments and health agencies reduce the spread of the virus.”
The two companies are launching a “comprehensive solution” for contract tracing that encompasses “application programming interfaces (APIs) and operating system-level technology to assist in enabling contact tracing.”
This is an alternative to relying on location data approaches from carriers and other telecom companies that some countries have already implemented.
Based on these upcoming tools, governments will be able to build COVID-19 contact tracing apps that work across Apple and Google devices. When two people are in close-range, their phones will exchange anonymous identifiers. If an individual gets diagnosed with COVID-19, they can have their device transmit a list of everybody they’ve been in contact with to the cloud.
Meanwhile, the second person’s phone will periodically download a list of everyone that has tested positive in their area. If a match occurs, they will be notified and prompted to contact health authorities.
These APIs will be available by May, and those “official apps” from public health agencies can be downloaded through Google Play and the App Store.
A second joint effort is focused on creating a “broader Bluetooth-based contact tracing platform by building this functionality into the underlying platforms.” Third-party apps will no longer be required, with contact tracing built into Android and iOS directly. While still requiring manual opt-in, this should increase adoption.
This is a more robust solution than an API and would allow more individuals to participate, if they choose to opt in, as well as enable interaction with a broader ecosystem of apps and government health authorities
Both companies in their joint press release this morning are heavily focused on the privacy angle. Key points include :
Explicit user consent required
Doesn’t collect personally identifiable information or user location data
List of people you’ve been in contact with never leaves your phone
People who test positive are not identified to other users, Google, or Apple
Will only be used for contact tracing by public health authorities for COVID-19 pandemic management
All of us at Apple and Google believe there has never been a more important moment to work together to solve one of the world’s most pressing problems. Through close cooperation and collaboration with developers, governments and public health providers, we hope to harness the power of technology to help countries around the world slow the spread of COVID-19 and accelerate the return of everyday life.
Across the world, governments and health authorities are working together to find solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic, to protect people and get society back up and running. Software developers are contributing by crafting technical tools to help combat the virus and save lives. In this spirit of collaboration, Google and Apple are announcing a joint effort to enable the use of Bluetooth technology to help governments and health agencies reduce the spread of the virus, with user privacy and security central to the design.
Since COVID-19 can be transmitted through close proximity to affected individuals, public health officials have identified contact tracing as a valuable tool to help contain its spread. A number of leading public health authorities, universities, and NGOs around the world have been doing important work to develop opt-in contact tracing technology. To further this cause, Apple and Google will be launching a comprehensive solution that includes application programming interfaces (APIs) and operating system-level technology to assist in enabling contact tracing. Given the urgent need, the plan is to implement this solution in two steps while maintaining strong protections around user privacy.
First, in May, both companies will release APIs that enable interoperability between Android and iOS devices using apps from public health authorities. These official apps will be available for users to download via their respective app stores.
Second, in the coming months, Apple and Google will work to enable a broader Bluetooth-based contact tracing platform by building this functionality into the underlying platforms. This is a more robust solution than an API and would allow more individuals to participate, if they choose to opt in, as well as enable interaction with a broader ecosystem of apps and government health authorities. Privacy, transparency, and consent are of utmost importance in this effort, and we look forward to building this functionality in consultation with interested stakeholders. We will openly publish information about our work for others to analyze.
All of us at Apple and Google believe there has never been a more important moment to work together to solve one of the world’s most pressing problems. Through close cooperation and collaboration with developers, governments and public health providers, we hope to harness the power of technology to help countries around the world slow the spread of COVID-19 and accelerate the return of everyday life.
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