Apple, Google in a 'standoff' with Germany and France over contact tracing privacy
Apple and Google are currently at loggerheads with German and French officials over security technicalities in iOS and questions of how to store contact tracing data.
The Apple and Google contact tracing system will allow apps to run in the background on iOS. But to use it, developers must agree to a decentralized approach.
The two tech giants on April 10 announced a joint initiative to develop a cross-platform, system-level framework for contact tracing -- a method to track and possibly mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Similar techniques are being explored by nations across the globe, but several European countries are in disagreement with Apple and Google on how to go about it.
Tensions over contact tracing implementation escalated on Friday as Apple and Google shot down demands by France and Germany to back their national endeavors or ease the stringent privacy restrictions the two tech companies are building into their own, Reuters reported.
The standoff was sparked by two major factors. For one, Apple's iOS software has a security feature that bars apps that send data over Bluetooth from using the short-range communications protocol in the background. Without the ability to run in the background, contact tracing apps are severely hampered as users would be required to keep the apps open and their phones unlocked.
Earlier in April, French officials urged Apple to drop that restriction in iOS to allow its own contact tracing app to work properly.
The ability to use Bluetooth in the background to track whether a smartphone user has come into contact with someone who tests positively COVID-19 is one of the core features of Apple and Google's contact tracing system, which will be a framework that public health agencies can use to build their own apps. But Apple and Google are requiring developers to handle data in a decentralized manner, with no information leaving a user's device until they receive a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. Both companies seem unwilling to waver on those protocols.
"Those privacy principles are not going to change," said Gary Davis, Apple's global director of privacy. "They are fundamental privacy principles that are needed to make this work."
That's the other part of the standoff. France and Germany, along with the UK's National Health Service, have apparently opted for a centralized contact tracing solution with user data stored on a central server. Because of that, they won't be able to use the Apple and Google API, which brings those apps back to the issue of Bluetooth in the background. Without that key feature, there are serious doubts about the efficacy of digital contact tracing measures.
European authorities, for their part, are expressing frustration over the dustup. One French official said that EU states "are being completely held hostage by Google and Apple."
Apple and Google on Friday announced refined technical details about its contact tracing endeavor, which is actually on-track to launch early on April 28.
The Apple and Google contact tracing system will allow apps to run in the background on iOS. But to use it, developers must agree to a decentralized approach.
The two tech giants on April 10 announced a joint initiative to develop a cross-platform, system-level framework for contact tracing -- a method to track and possibly mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Similar techniques are being explored by nations across the globe, but several European countries are in disagreement with Apple and Google on how to go about it.
Tensions over contact tracing implementation escalated on Friday as Apple and Google shot down demands by France and Germany to back their national endeavors or ease the stringent privacy restrictions the two tech companies are building into their own, Reuters reported.
The standoff was sparked by two major factors. For one, Apple's iOS software has a security feature that bars apps that send data over Bluetooth from using the short-range communications protocol in the background. Without the ability to run in the background, contact tracing apps are severely hampered as users would be required to keep the apps open and their phones unlocked.
Earlier in April, French officials urged Apple to drop that restriction in iOS to allow its own contact tracing app to work properly.
The ability to use Bluetooth in the background to track whether a smartphone user has come into contact with someone who tests positively COVID-19 is one of the core features of Apple and Google's contact tracing system, which will be a framework that public health agencies can use to build their own apps. But Apple and Google are requiring developers to handle data in a decentralized manner, with no information leaving a user's device until they receive a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. Both companies seem unwilling to waver on those protocols.
"Those privacy principles are not going to change," said Gary Davis, Apple's global director of privacy. "They are fundamental privacy principles that are needed to make this work."
That's the other part of the standoff. France and Germany, along with the UK's National Health Service, have apparently opted for a centralized contact tracing solution with user data stored on a central server. Because of that, they won't be able to use the Apple and Google API, which brings those apps back to the issue of Bluetooth in the background. Without that key feature, there are serious doubts about the efficacy of digital contact tracing measures.
European authorities, for their part, are expressing frustration over the dustup. One French official said that EU states "are being completely held hostage by Google and Apple."
Apple and Google on Friday announced refined technical details about its contact tracing endeavor, which is actually on-track to launch early on April 28.
Comments
"Those privacy principles are not going to change," said Gary Davis, Apple's global director of privacy. "They are fundamental privacy principles that are needed to make this work."
It's good news that Apple is not going to budge a single millimeter for those EU countries.
Decentralized is the obvious way to go.
I'm glad that I'm not in one of those countries. Centralized, with everything stored on a central server sounds extremely suspicious, a violation of rights and I don't trust those countries one bit. Privacy and fundamental rights are more important than whatever latest schemes and dastardly plans certain EU countries decide to concoct.
If they don't like it, then they don't have to use the API at all. Let 'em do without contact tracing. It'll be their problem.
Weird that on one hand EU has always pushed for stringent PDPA laws to protect privacy yet now contradict themselves to allow centralised storage of data without users’ permission.
Honestly, I would prefer the BlueTrace and Apple+Google approach where until I give explicit permission to send the data on my device only when I become an infected person. If the app is going to become a massive public surveillance, people may just choose not to install. I know I won’t bother to install.
The EU will undoubtedly use such centralised tracking resources to undermine and counter anti-EU political organisations in member states. Today's technology gives it the kind of survellience powers the KGB could only dream of.
Thank goodness democracy prevailed in the UK and we managed to leave.
Apple and Google should refuse to change their position.
The USA has brought peace by having plenty of US troops and equipment stationed there ever since WWII. Russia would've walked all over the EU a long time ago if it wasn't for the protection of the US. The EU is incapable of protecting anything. The USA should pull everything out of Europe and let them fend for themselves, and we'll see how that works out. I'll grab the popcorn if and when that happens.
And the UK has not shot themselves in the foot. They were real smart to leave the EU, and it's about time that they did. The UK will be just fine on its own together with its allies. The UK does not need the EU one bit. They are a disgusting bunch, just go watch some of those videos from the European parliament. Nigel Farage owns them all.
Goog: "We're not sharing our data."
If the U.S were to pull out of the EU, the EU would simply fill the holes. It would have no other option. However, if the U.S were to do that, it would find itself in a serious pickle.
75 years of peace has been through unification, not the U.S military presence. Integration and stability have brought prosperity to many nations and stability is one of the pillars of peace.
There have been challenges and there will be more and the EU has a stated goal of becoming independent on many levels. Notably in technology and there have always been moves promoting the creation of an EU wide defence force. Something the U.S clearly doesn't want to see become reality. Just like it didn't want the euro to become reality. Just like it doesn't want Huawei to have influence anywhere. The U.S wants its strategic influence tentacles in every pie.
The U.K has a long track record of outsourcing sensitive data management to U.S companies and seeing things backfire. U.S foreign policy is backfiring across the globe as more and more nations push back.
I doubt the specific issues detailed in this article have anything to do with its technological independence drive but the EU's desire to be in full control is possibly why it already has its own plans for contact tracing.
https://techcrunch.com/2020/04/08/france-is-officially-working-on-stop-covid-contact-tracing-app/
In the US? You're not identified and it's not sent to the government.
But, it's not just lives. It's the economy stupid! Without testing and contact tracing the only recourse is either to maintain social distancing or let the virus run rampant. And, either of those two options will kill the economy.