Anyone not...

Edit. An Apple iOS and Google Android update due Mid-May may change that.

 

I doubt very much it'll be on 'government servers', it'll be on server space procured by the government probably from Amazon.

 

A server in aws that is controlled by the government is a government server.

 

if we were using the one that is being used by pretty much the rest of the world of course. Would I trust the CambrIdge Analytica goons I’m sorry but no. I’d rather carry on working from home and isolating. Our app won’t even allow us to travel outside the UK. Just barmy

 

Damn! does that mean I have to put off my post office heist until after lockdown?

 

My opinion has now changed as more information has been revealed to me about this app. I do not know if the app was changed, or I received some bad information, but I apologise to all.
My new post is here

TLDR: I will be downloading the app if I go out.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Read the word unnecessarily.

It doesn't do it because it has to. It does it because they want to, at the cost of the app performing worse.

 

Thanks, food for thought.

 

anyone know a simple (very) way I can explain to my aged aunt what an 'app' actually is and how it might work?

 

So based on the responses to this thread it looks like I’ll be stuck on lockdown even longer and more people will die.

As ultimately, that’s the implication of not downloading the app and helping with the track and trace effort.

 

From the website
https://www.nhsx.nhs.uk/covid-19-response/nhs-covid-19-app/

"The app has been designed with privacy in mind. The app does not collect personally identifiable data from users. Users will always remain anonymous."

and

"Users will always be able to delete the NHS COVID-19 App whenever they want."

Seems ok to me, although I tend to be fairly relaxed (possibly even lax) about this kind of thing. What am I missing?

 

I'll be doing it. I fcking hate this government and everything it stands for. But if there's something available that will help us in the long term to, then I'll do it.

The whole thing stinks though - as mentioned previously in here. I mean, why would you not use the minds and technology of Apple and Google when you can use Dominic Cummings dodgy mates tackle?

 

If you suspect you have COVID-19, the app uploads your data and that data is stored in a way that is possible to back-engineer to work out who you are (pseudonymised). You cannot request that data is deleted, you have no control over how they use that data, and that data can be sold to commerce entities or used for other purposes.

I think the big problem is one of trust (again). Can you trust a government led by a habitual liar to tell the truth - even if they are?

 

I dislike this government as much as anyone. I also (certainly in normal times) have concerns about how our data is used without our consent - although acknowledging most people readily share tons of data both knowingly and unwittingly every second of every day. I also absolutely would prefer a better app than is propose. But we are in absolutely unprecedented times. I have moved from my emergency COVID_19 work on getting food and medicine to people to focus on the economic recovery. And it's frightening the impact that anticipated social distancing measures are going to have even outside of lockdown periods.

So if the worse case scenario is that someone might be able to back trace where I went for a couple of weeks if I use an app which will help release some of the restrictions on society and help let anyone know that they have been exposed to the virus should I get it then I think that's a sacrifice worth paying.

Alongside downloading the app I can still argue for a better app.

I'm surprised that some of the people who have argued so strongly for the biggest restrictions in response to halting COVID_19 now wouldn't be prepared to share some incredibly low level non-invasive information. Or am I missing something?

 

My opinion has now changed as more information has been revealed to me about this app. I do not know if the app was changed, or I received some bad information, but I apologise to all.
My new post is here

TLDR: I will be downloading the app if I go out.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

I honestly think you are. It’s the fact that it collects all this data, not only unnecessarily, but to the detriment of the quality of the app. I would be fine if the location data was required to make the app work, or make the app work better - but it’s the opposite. And it’s all so Cumming’s mate can get a cut of taxpayer money by building it.

 

Not a chance. Boris and practically his entire cabinet have consistently voted to lower human rights and to increase mass surveillance powers. There is absolutely no chance that I will willingly make it easier for them to spy on me.

Not only that but if I've understood this correctly I genuinely think it is a terrible idea anyway. Anyone who THINKS they've got it can tell the app they have and then a scary message is sent to everyone who's been near it? So what's stopping arseholes of which there are hundreds of thousands in the UK of deliberately trying to panic people? Or more likely what's to stop the millions of idiots from coughing once and setting off alerts throughout Barnsley?

 

But hasn't that shipped sailed? Whoever has been commissioned will have been paid.

I presume no one is arguing against test, track and trace? I get the point it could be done in another better way but it hasn't been. For now its the best app that we've got (once tested) and whether it does take superfluous data or not, the data it takes is about as interesting to anyone as the ingredients on a cereal box compared to what we all give out every day.

Let's say the government don't change their mind on the app do you continue to refuse to download it based on this single point of principle? In spite of the fact that even if it has issues there's no escaping the fact it will be a key tool in fighting COVID_19?

Or how would you feel if you became ill and someone who could have been alerted by the app to having been in contact with you then unwittingly infects other vulnerable people?

 

My opinion has now changed as more information has been revealed to me about this app. I do not know if the app was changed, or I received some bad information, but I apologise to all.
My new post is here

TLDR: I will be downloading the app if I go out.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

I’m now reading that the app will only work while it’s open and you will only get alerted of if you’ve been in contact with someone if you say you’ve got symptoms. It’s not track and trace. It’s a way to limit tests.