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Alphabet, Walmart join U.S. effort to speed up coronavirus testing

reuters.com

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Re: Alphabet, Walmart join U.S. effort to speed up coronavirus testing

#11

Post by wolco »

swiley wrote: post #4
chevman wrote: post #2

Why is Google (and for that matter Apple) not helping to track the prior movement of every coronavirus patient where possible to identify additional potentially exposed individuals? Seems fairly straightforward given their massive surveillance infrastructure. Anyone at Apple or Google actually going to pitch in here and offer meaningful help? So far, crickets.

Because that would be an incredible violation of privacy and is probably illegal? I’m not even sure China does that.

Korea has a map of all of your travels for the public to see.

Re: Alphabet, Walmart join U.S. effort to speed up coronavirus testing

#12

Post by anoncareer0212 »

koolba wrote: post #9
vikinghckr wrote: post #3

Found it strange that some parts of media decided to focus on the semantics of Google and Verily being different subsidiaries of Alphabet. This is an almost meaningless detail.

It’s par for the course for the media to flip on any minute detail of a Trump comment that they think will get a rise out of people.

If I were flippant, I'd say it appears par for the course for you to blame the media for the gov't lying. It's been well-reported that what was said in the conference was far from the truth. See my other comment for details.

Re: Alphabet, Walmart join U.S. effort to speed up coronavirus testing

#13

Post by paulsutter »

wolco wrote: post #11
swiley wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because that would be an incredible violation of privacy and is probably illegal? I’m not even sure China does that.

Korea has a map of all of your travels for the public to see.

Could you expand on that?

Re: Alphabet, Walmart join U.S. effort to speed up coronavirus testing

#14

Post by anoncareer0212 »

chevman wrote: post #2

Why is Google (and for that matter Apple) not helping to track the prior movement of every coronavirus patient where possible to identify additional potentially exposed individuals? Seems fairly straightforward given their massive surveillance infrastructure. Anyone at Apple or Google actually going to pitch in here and offer meaningful help? So far, crickets.

Because the public, and HN, has convinced itself that big tech has tools and capabilities it actually doesn't. I wish it did! It doesn't.

EDIT: Before you downvote, for a simple example that fits within existing ideological battlelines, how would Apple do this?

Re: Alphabet, Walmart join U.S. effort to speed up coronavirus testing

#15

Post by whoisjuan »

swiley wrote: post #4
chevman wrote: post #2

Why is Google (and for that matter Apple) not helping to track the prior movement of every coronavirus patient where possible to identify additional potentially exposed individuals? Seems fairly straightforward given their massive surveillance infrastructure. Anyone at Apple or Google actually going to pitch in here and offer meaningful help? So far, crickets.

Because that would be an incredible violation of privacy and is probably illegal? I’m not even sure China does that.

Of fucking course, China does that. Watch the videos on how they are dealing with it. There are several on YouTube. When you get in and out of a subway or a building or whatever you have to scan a QR code with WeChat. Otherwise, you're not allowed to proceed.

They also take your temperature in all these places and if your temp is higher than normal they send you to a fever clinic, where they determine if you have the virus. If you do, you're isolated and your movement data gets flagged to track other potentially infected individuals.

Re: Alphabet, Walmart join U.S. effort to speed up coronavirus testing

#16

Post by davidw »

swiley wrote: post #4
chevman wrote: post #2

Why is Google (and for that matter Apple) not helping to track the prior movement of every coronavirus patient where possible to identify additional potentially exposed individuals? Seems fairly straightforward given their massive surveillance infrastructure. Anyone at Apple or Google actually going to pitch in here and offer meaningful help? So far, crickets.

Because that would be an incredible violation of privacy and is probably illegal? I’m not even sure China does that.

I found this site about Singapore yesterday. This kind of detail would never fly in the US. But they do seem to have used it effectively to track the spread of the disease:

https://co.vid19.sg/cases

Re: Alphabet, Walmart join U.S. effort to speed up coronavirus testing

#17

Post by xiphias2 »

johnpowell wrote: post #8
chevman wrote: post #2

Why is Google (and for that matter Apple) not helping to track the prior movement of every coronavirus patient where possible to identify additional potentially exposed individuals? Seems fairly straightforward given their massive surveillance infrastructure. Anyone at Apple or Google actually going to pitch in here and offer meaningful help? So far, crickets.

Because that would shine a light on just how creepy this all is. We know they do it but the normal person might be a bit concerned if Google and Apple just announced "We track you everywhere and who you interact with." My sister finally came around to thinking Facebook was going to far so she switched to Instagram. We had a uncomfortable conversation last month when I broke the news to her.

It's not creepy as long as it's opt in.

South Korea has an app, it could be done by anybody actually, but a known company would have more resources and branding power.

The reality is that after Eric Schmidt went away, Google changed: it's trying to make money by focusing only on its products instead of focusing on its image by doing good to people (while building its products).

Also Trump doesn't have the same relation with these companies as Obama had.

Re: Alphabet, Walmart join U.S. effort to speed up coronavirus testing

#18

Post by novok »

chevman wrote: post #2

Why is Google (and for that matter Apple) not helping to track the prior movement of every coronavirus patient where possible to identify additional potentially exposed individuals? Seems fairly straightforward given their massive surveillance infrastructure. Anyone at Apple or Google actually going to pitch in here and offer meaningful help? So far, crickets.

You get national cell phone providers to do that, not tech companies.

Re: Alphabet, Walmart join U.S. effort to speed up coronavirus testing

#19

Post by lonelappde »

ivanfon wrote: post #6
chevman wrote: post #2

Why is Google (and for that matter Apple) not helping to track the prior movement of every coronavirus patient where possible to identify additional potentially exposed individuals? Seems fairly straightforward given their massive surveillance infrastructure. Anyone at Apple or Google actually going to pitch in here and offer meaningful help? So far, crickets.

It would probably be bad PR for them to reveal the extent of their surveillance.

You can see a map of your location history at any time. It's heavily promoted in Maps.
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