Google and Apple have announced that they will ban all apps that use location services and their jointly developed contact tracing system.
Apple and Google ban location tracking in COVID-19 tracing apps
How it works: Reuters says the two companies account for 99 percent of smartphones, meaning the decision will affect pretty much everyone. The contact tracing system uses Bluetooth signals to let you know if you’ve been in contact with another user who’s reported COVID-19 symptoms. It’s all done anonymously, of course; you don’t want someone coming after you if you’re infected and you’ve walked near them.
One problem: Some developers told Reuters last month that location data (which can be anonymized) is crucial for tracking the disease and all the human movements that accompany it. It would help experts not only keep track of who’s infected but also identify potential hot spots of the outbreak.
The bottom line: Apple and Google have the final say here, as they roll out the API for public health agencies to use in their own apps. Developers may still be able to come up with some workarounds, but the tech companies seem to want to make absolutely sure that our private health data is kept safe.
