The Coronavirus Pandemic

[doulos]

Ok, to each is own!

Yeah, I get it that I am in the minority. A long while back I took a look at the myactivity.google.com and was shocked at what was tracked. I think the big difference is that many people are now just resigned to that being normative in society and have come to terms with their entire lives being on display to tech companies. I'm not that kind of person I guess.

[PenguinHunter]

Yeah, I get it that I am in the minority. A long while back I took a look at the myactivity.google.com and was shocked at what was tracked. I think the big difference is that many people are now just resigned to that being normative in society and have come to terms with their entire lives being on display to tech companies. I'm not that kind of person I guess.

[als_revenge]

Yeah, I get it that I am in the minority. A long while back I took a look at the myactivity.google.com and was shocked at what was tracked. I think the big difference is that many people are now just resigned to that being normative in society and have come to terms with their entire lives being on display to tech companies. I'm not that kind of person I guess.

"The app doesn't store or share any personal or medical information or GPS-location data, but rather uses randomly generated, anonymous codes and Bluetooth signals between phones that also have the app downloaded to keep track of the proximity and duration of a certain contact. A user will receive a notification on their smartphone screen if they have had prolonged, close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 and also uses the app. It then provides public health advice and what steps anyone who has been exposed can take." Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toron...cing-1.5617240

I understand this won't influence your decision, but I think it's worth at least noting!

[doulos]

"The app doesn't store or share any personal or medical information or GPS-location data, but rather uses randomly generated, anonymous codes and Bluetooth signals between phones that also have the app downloaded to keep track of the proximity and duration of a certain contact. A user will receive a notification on their smartphone screen if they have had prolonged, close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 and also uses the app. It then provides public health advice and what steps anyone who has been exposed can take." Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toron...cing-1.5617240

I understand this won't influence your decision, but I think it's worth at least noting!

I'll have to take a closer look at exactly how it works. My default is certainly to be wary of these things given how many times a company has gone "Oops guess we did keep track of your data, and Ooooh sorry, looks like we got hacked and gave it away too. Sorry about our luck! We totally won't do it again though!"

From the same article:

Tech analyst Carmy Levy said in an interview on CTV News Channel that while he’ll wait and see how the app functions when it’s downloadable, it is a positive step to see the app won’t use location services. But he said that even with “all reasonable efforts” being taken to strip away identifiable information, to a certain degree nothing is fully anonymous.

“We are opening up a bit of a privacy Pandora's box. Are we taking reasonable precautions? Yes… But kind of have to balance that and gauge, what are we getting back in return for this risk? Are we allowing ourselves to get ahead of the pandemic?”

[als_revenge]

I'll have to take a closer look at exactly how it works. My default is certainly to be wary of these things given how many times a company has gone "Oops guess we did keep track of your data, and Ooooh sorry, looks like we got hacked and gave it away too. Sorry about our luck! We totally won't do it again though!"

From the same article:

I understand why you would be skeptical. It was reported yesterday that Norway is shutting down its contact tracing app (which was based on GPS data which was being uploaded to a central server).

Canada's app is nothing like that. But yes - only you can decide if the app is an appropriate balance between public health considerations and your privacy.

EDIT: it's also being reported that the data is destroyed after 14 days (since it's no longer useful for contact tracing after 14 days).

[2014olympicgold]

A lot of places are dropping their "random" tracker and opting for the Google/Apple version. Curious to why. Is it because they are better (likely), or is it because they are better and large companies who might twist some arms.

Google is run off of info from people. They use the data from your location to generate their GPS "Red/Yellow/Green" traffic info. They know the road speed limit, and take all of the data of phones going through areas to see if it's slow, or not. Which is why at a stop sign, you randomly get a red line. It's because 1 car went through the stop sign slower than normal and there wasn't enough data tracked at that sign to say otherwise.

HOWEVER, sometime last yr I randomly got a notification from Google saying, "A restaurant in an area you were near could use a review! Help out!" (paraphrasing) and I was like, "Google, WTF. I know you're taking my info, but please don't give me this BS". So location data is solid for GPS/Google Maps, but I was not happy getting ads from it out of nowhere. I only got that once, so I wonder if it was something they tried and the feedback was bad.

I think the majority of people are in the boat I am. I know you're using my info, but I just don't want you to send me "Pop up style ads" with that info. I'm ok with searching up hockey sticks on google, and having ads adjusted to that, but I don't want a popup ad randomly with my info.

If google/apple get COVID-19 tracking app contracts, they will use the data for good (COVID-19 tracking), but will use the same info for their own gain and I'm kinda curious on how they'd use it. It's a double edged sword.

[als_revenge]

Canada is not using Google or Apple. Canada is also not using GPS (neither are Apple or Google for that matter). And the information for the Canadian app will only be used for one purpose: to notify you if you've been in close contact with someone who has tested positive. And after 14 days, everything is deleted.

I suspect other places are using Google or Apple because its tracker will run off bluetooth, not GPS, and hence will be better from a privacy perspective. And public health authorities are (mostly) smart enough to realize nobody will voluntarily download a contact tracer if there are privacy concerns. Places like Norway completely missed the boat and had to shut their tracers down...

[2014olympicgold]

https://globalnews.ca/news/6905439/g...cing-location/

some apple/google tracking info.

[butch]

There are additional rules, I believe. Here's a summary: https://torontosun.com/news/provinci...ng-home-visits

called this morning , get tested Sunday 920 am . they had my info already since my fam doc is part of a really good clinic and they handling the intake so good process so far . not looking forward to the test itself though

[lobo1969]

This Tulsa Trump rally will turn into a shit show in more ways than one, specially when him and his ardent followers have little respect for Covid-19:

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world...8gK?li=AAggNb9

Will be interesting to see what happens with the infection rate coming out of Tulsa in 1-2 weeks not to mention all the thousands of people that are coming into town from far and wide and then returning home as potential carriers. Gathering in big groups outside and in the streets (protesters) is bad enough but jamming potentially 19K people in an enclosed arena is just begging for trouble.

[Axeman33]

Donald Trump has said some pretty dumb and uneducated things in his 3+ year term but this has to be near the top.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/corona...tics-1.4993320

TULSA, OKLA. -- President Donald Trump said Saturday he's asked his administration to slow down coronavirus testing because robust testing turns up too many cases of COVID-19.

Trump told supporters at his campaign rally that the U.S. has tested 25 million people, far more than any other country. The "bad part," Trump said, is that widespread testing leads to logging more cases of the virus.

When you do testing to that extent, you're going to find more people, you're going to find more cases," Trump said. "So I said to my people, `Slow the testing down, please.' They test and they test."

[butch]

This Tulsa Trump rally will turn into a shit show in more ways than one, specially when him and his ardent followers have little respect for Covid-19:

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world...8gK?li=AAggNb9

Will be interesting to see what happens with the infection rate coming out of Tulsa in 1-2 weeks not to mention all the thousands of people that are coming into town from far and wide and then returning home as potential carriers. Gathering in big groups outside and in the streets (protesters) is bad enough but jamming potentially 19K people in an enclosed arena is just begging for trouble.

there may have been more BLM supporters outside the arena than Trump supporters inside

[GretzkysMullet]

The spike in US COVID-19 cases is so big that the number of new daily cases approximates the previous peak at this point.

Turns out those public health measures may have been doing something hey? Surprise surprise.

[audiopile]

The spike in US COVID-19 cases is so big that the number of new daily cases approximates the previous peak at this point.

Turns out those public health measures may have been doing something hey? Surprise surprise.

Uh yeah. Where I live we haven't had a new case in over a week and all known cases are being monitored yet people are still taking all the precautions. It takes some commitment. Lets not waste the sacrifices we've made thus far ok?

[STONE.]

there may have been more BLM supporters outside the arena than Trump supporters inside

Yup. Thanks to Tik Tok Teens. Proud to be a high school teacher today--nice work kiddos!