Why state spying fears are overblown
Worried about being spied on by the state if you use its Covid-19 contact tracing app? You don’t need to be
"Would you trust the gov not to gather data on you?" a sceptical Twitter user tweeted last week. It is a valid question posed to a community of keyboard warriors questioning the SA government’s newly launched Covid-19 contact tracing app, Covid Alert SA.The health department launched the app, which has been available to download from the Google Play Store and the iOS App Store since September 1. It is built on Google and Apple’s new exposure notification platform, which uses Bluetooth technology to alert users who have come into contact with someone who has Covid. The same platform is being used by a number of other countries."By downloading and using the Covid Alert SA app, you become part of a powerful digital network of app users who choose to work together for the benefit of everyone in the app community while all enjoying complete privacy and anonymity," the department says.However, in a world where personal data has become a valuable currency, concerns about privacy are not mi...
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