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

reuters.com

21–30 of 223 posts

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

#21

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.

Because what was said in the press conference is very, very, very, very, very, different from whats going on inside Google and Verily. Think: someone had an idea for a much, much, more limited in scope project for a very small area _that morning_. Not a nationwide exposure detector somehow built by 1700 engineers to be launched in the next week.

I don't think the President ever mentioned it being next week. Also, see this from Google communication: https://twitter.com/Google_Comms/status/1238989460127338497

This effort for a nationwide testing website is different from and in addition to what Verily was already doing at a smaller scale in Bay Area (although I imagine there will be lots of overlap and shared code etc.)

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

#22

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.

If Trump said he cured cancer, but the truth was that only a few strains were cured, these same people would literally be upset. This is getting worse than the Bush Derangement Syndrome and all the Obama hate/conspiracies.

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

#23
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.

Think again. Do we really want this to happen?

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

#24
post #5
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.

I don't think the location history is very accurate. Either the polling interval is too low, or they use less power consuming location services, but Google fudges my history a good amount of time.

If you have google location history turned on you can see it in maps. Its pretty accurate. It couldn’t tell you for sure you were in with 5 feet of a known case, but it certainly would give a useful signal.

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

#27
post #18
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.

Tracking Phones, Google is a Dragnet for the Police: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/04/13/us/google-loc...

Mirror: http://archive.md/UV9px

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

#28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because what was said in the press conference is very, very, very, very, very, different from whats going on inside Google and Verily. Think: someone had an idea for a much, much, more limited in scope project for a very small area _that morning_. Not a nationwide exposure detector somehow built by 1700 engineers to be launched in the next week.

I don't think the President ever mentioned it being next week. Also, see this from Google communication: https://twitter.com/Google_Comms/status/1238989460127338497 This effort for a nationwide testing website is different from and in addition to what Verily was already doing at a smaller scale in Bay Area (although I imagine there will be lots of overlap and shared code etc.)

The President said it would be up on Sunday.

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

#29
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.

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…

Can you link me one?

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

#30
post #26
post #20

Except that Google isn't doing that and said so.[1] [1] https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/03/13/google-says-its-not-p...

Can you point out to me the statement where Google denies working on the web tool?

A quick read of the article confirms that a google subsidiary IS MAKING A WEBSITE. Trump got all the details wrong as usual, but the main idea is true.

That article just seems like its fishing for "trump bad" material.

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