{"id":34483,"date":"2020-04-17T06:33:10","date_gmt":"2020-04-17T06:33:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.threatshub.org\/blog\/europe-publishes-draft-rules-for-coronavirus-contact-tracing-app-development-on-a-relaxed-schedule\/"},"modified":"2020-04-17T06:33:10","modified_gmt":"2020-04-17T06:33:10","slug":"europe-publishes-draft-rules-for-coronavirus-contact-tracing-app-development-on-a-relaxed-schedule","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.threatshub.org\/blog\/europe-publishes-draft-rules-for-coronavirus-contact-tracing-app-development-on-a-relaxed-schedule\/","title":{"rendered":"Europe publishes draft rules for coronavirus contact-tracing app development, on a relaxed schedule"},"content":{"rendered":"

The European Commission (EC) has published a document describing how it thinks member nations can best built a contact-tracing smartphone app to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n

Such apps have been adopted by Singapore and India. The UK, USA and Australia have all suggested they\u2019ll soon follow suit. Apple and Google have weighed in, saying they\u2019ll tune their mobile operating systems to help the apps operate, a crucial step as current apps use Bluetooth yet smartphones don\u2019t allow the wireless protocol to operate constantly.<\/p>\n

The apps are controversial<\/a> as their explicit purpose is collecting data about users and then sharing it. But they\u2019re also seen as a tool that will make it possible to loosen lockdowns because, by tracing encounters that lead to infections, they have the potential to make it possible to understand who needs to be in isolation and who can roam more freely.<\/p>\n

\"Beware<\/p>\n

Wanted: An exit strategy from the overt surveillance of smartphone contact tracing<\/h2>\n

READ MORE<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n

Enter the EC with a 44-page guide to what such apps should do, how they should do it and when they might be deployed.<\/p>\n

The document thinks such apps can do their job without recording users\u2019 phone numbers. Instead, it suggests that apps broadcast \u201ca temporary anonymous ID that permits establishing contact with other app users in proximity.\u201d Apps will record that anonymous ID and, if any user that has been in proximity tests positive to coronavirus and consents to having their data shared, other devices that have hoovered up the anonymous ID will receive a notification. The document suggests users could optionally enter other contact data if they\u2019d like more than a notification in case they receive worrying news.<\/p>\n

The EC is not in a screaming rush. It suggested timeframe is to stage bi-weekly meetings that some time in May deliver a security recommendation and in June deliver data-sharing standards that help authorities to plan exit strategies.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a list of safeguards the EC believes the apps must include, namely:<\/p>\n