Apple, Google ban location tracking in apps using their contact-tracing system

Post by OJFord » Tue, May 05, 2020, 12:23 AM UTC

g_p wrote: post #184

AJRF wrote: post #3

I've been wondering about the UK contact tracing app because they seem to be deliberately misleading saying that data is secure on the phone, yet it's a centralised model, and they are using bullshit terms like "clinically secure algorithm" to describe the one-time codes; Is the source code of these apps something that could be FOI requested from NHSx seeing as it is publicly funded by the tax payer? Also they've alr…

It looks like you won't have to petition for it. According to https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/files/NHS-app-security-paper%20V0.1.... , "We intend to open source our codebase once the first release is finalised. The documentation accompanying that release will supersede this paper." and from https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/blog-post/security-behind-nhs-contac... , "The Secretary of State has also committed to making the source code…

Post by taywrobel » Tue, May 05, 2020, 12:30 AM UTC

vertex-four wrote: post #173

taywrobel wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Well, in the context of this post, that is irrelevant at best, or whataboutism at worst. I notice you don't offer a defense of Palantir here. Why is that? HN won't let me reply to that, so I'll do it here. I didn't feel the need to offer a "defense" of Palantir there since I already outlined it above and don't feel like there's value in repeating myself. But you asked, here you go - The government is going to use t…

And we would think the same about Lockheed, Raytheon or IBM. Just because there'll always be someone without morals doesn't mean we just shrug and say anything goes.

Post by DanBC » Tue, May 05, 2020, 12:32 AM UTC

chimprich wrote: post #130

artursapek wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You seem to agree with Schneier! I'm with you, the whole premise is utterly useless. https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2020/05/me_on_covad-1...

Schneier's a security expert, not an epidemiology expert. I don't think I'm going to put much weight in his opinion. The UK's epidemiology and behavioural teams have some confidence that this app will have an effect. It doesn't need to be perfectly effective to be useful. Even a small reduction in R is very helpful.

Post by thelittleone » Tue, May 05, 2020, 12:34 AM UTC

dan-robertson wrote: post #126

lazyeye wrote: post #12

Does anyone else find this a little ironic given Google is a company that has been logging peoples location to a very fine detail for years

I have four arguments as to why google are behaving this way with regards to this data. I’ve no idea which, if any, they operate by: 1. It’s actually crap and they don’t want their advertisers to know that their ads are sold based on crap quality data/don’t want the backlash of doing a poor job helping 2. Most people at google care a lot about privacy (either in the secret kept between you and google sense or the mor…

Post by thekyle » Tue, May 05, 2020, 12:36 AM UTC

encom wrote: post #142

djrogers wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> you will see that Apple does keep track of at least some of your location history That's not Apple keeping the data, that's your phone keeping the data. And that data isn't accessible to Apple - only you and your device. From page 6 of https://www.apple.com/privacy/docs/Location_Services_White_P... "This data is not shared with third parties, is fully encrypted, and can’t be read by Apple."

That claim is worthless when the software is closed source. It's impossible to verify.