Germany changes stance on Apple-Google contact tracing project
Germany has changed its stance on Apple and Google's work to create a contact tracing system for tracking and managing the spread of COVID-19, supporting a privacy-forward decentralized approach instead of using a centralized system.
A graphic explaining how Apple and Google's system would function
On Friday, it was reported Germany and France were disagreeing with Apple and Google over security technicalities and the storage of data in the two tech giants' cross-platform system-level framework for contact tracing. Two days later, it seems that officials from one of the two countries have changed their mind to instead support similar efforts.
Germany was previously looking to create a centralized contact tracing system that relies on a central server, an approach that would allow health officials to be able to directly observe and potentially contact people suspected of carrying COVID-19. A central system approach is viewed as both a security and privacy risk by critics due to the handing over of potentially sensitive medical data to a single source, and paving the way to future state surveillance.
Apple and Google's system instead relies on a decentralized system, where contacts are stored only on user devices until they receive a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, with data only leaving the device upon that confirmation. The countries disagreed with the API's workings, and instead leaned towards the creation of a centralized monitoring system.
On Sunday, Reuters reports Germany has revised its plans to a "decentralized' approach. The country had backed the Pan-European Privacy-Preserving Proximity Tracing (PEPP-PT) initiative, which relied on a centralized system, but Chancellery Minister Helge Braun and Health Minister Jens Spahn advised of the change away from PEPP-PT to a more private method.
"We will back a decentralized architecture that will only store contacts on devices. That is good for trust," said Braun in an interview.
At this early stage, it is unclear what Germany is planning for its own system, such as whether it will be taking advantage of the Apple and Google API, or if it would work with the Decentralized Privacy-Preserving Proximity Tracing (DP-3T) effort backed by Switzerland, Austria, and Estonia.
So far, it has taken the Fraunhofer HHI research institute off the project, with officials advising the group on Saturday of its removal. "The project will be handed over and others will be able to make use of the results we have achieved so far to build a decentralized solution," said Fraunhofer HHI chief Thomas Wiegand in a memo to employees.
On the news, DP-3T stated it was "very happy to see that Germany is adopting a decentralized approach to contact tracing and we look forward to its next steps implementing such a technique in a privacy-preserving manner."
A graphic explaining how Apple and Google's system would function
On Friday, it was reported Germany and France were disagreeing with Apple and Google over security technicalities and the storage of data in the two tech giants' cross-platform system-level framework for contact tracing. Two days later, it seems that officials from one of the two countries have changed their mind to instead support similar efforts.
Germany was previously looking to create a centralized contact tracing system that relies on a central server, an approach that would allow health officials to be able to directly observe and potentially contact people suspected of carrying COVID-19. A central system approach is viewed as both a security and privacy risk by critics due to the handing over of potentially sensitive medical data to a single source, and paving the way to future state surveillance.
Apple and Google's system instead relies on a decentralized system, where contacts are stored only on user devices until they receive a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, with data only leaving the device upon that confirmation. The countries disagreed with the API's workings, and instead leaned towards the creation of a centralized monitoring system.
On Sunday, Reuters reports Germany has revised its plans to a "decentralized' approach. The country had backed the Pan-European Privacy-Preserving Proximity Tracing (PEPP-PT) initiative, which relied on a centralized system, but Chancellery Minister Helge Braun and Health Minister Jens Spahn advised of the change away from PEPP-PT to a more private method.
"We will back a decentralized architecture that will only store contacts on devices. That is good for trust," said Braun in an interview.
At this early stage, it is unclear what Germany is planning for its own system, such as whether it will be taking advantage of the Apple and Google API, or if it would work with the Decentralized Privacy-Preserving Proximity Tracing (DP-3T) effort backed by Switzerland, Austria, and Estonia.
So far, it has taken the Fraunhofer HHI research institute off the project, with officials advising the group on Saturday of its removal. "The project will be handed over and others will be able to make use of the results we have achieved so far to build a decentralized solution," said Fraunhofer HHI chief Thomas Wiegand in a memo to employees.
On the news, DP-3T stated it was "very happy to see that Germany is adopting a decentralized approach to contact tracing and we look forward to its next steps implementing such a technique in a privacy-preserving manner."
Comments
This app sounds perfectly reasonable. Just like all the worst ideas in history did when first proposed.
What the authority does not know is who spent time near an infected individual; that information is only on people's devices, and is not reported to any authority.
It is interesting to see many countries/nations adopting the similar model of contact tracing, even Apple-Google's API seems to be similar on the model where contact data stays on the users' devices until permitted by users' to upload/share with health authorities.
I think Germany got it right especially in the context of a country that has land borders with other countries. Google Apple effort will work without revisiting the api once travel restrictions lift or if there is a trend reversal. Health departments will have what 14days of "exposure notifications" ready to go without having to overcome the lost momentum of people switching the app off.
https://www.npr.org/2019/10/30/774788611/police-owe-nothing-to-man-whose-home-they-blew-up-appeals-court-says
Of course, the country in which I live only claims to support liberty. In reality, we've been trending fascist since WW II.
This morning I was reading a quote from Richard Benjamins (Co-founder of odiseIA, an independent observatory on ethics and responsibility in AI) on the ethical side of things with people questioning privacy in centralised systems.
Basically he favours a centralised system and said if such a system actually worked it would be unethical not to use it in crisis situations.
Two points to note:
1. The Apple/Google implementation can be integrated into other protocols such as DP-3T.
2. Apple and Google no longer refer to it as "contact tracing", they are now calling it "exposure notification", which better describes what their API actually does.
Unfortunately, ideologues have developed major propaganda outlets that espouse that it is their way or no way and they developed and propagated cults into jihadists and evangelists preaching the Gospel of their ideology.
https://www.salon.com/2019/09/22/doomed-delusional-divided-and-corrupt-how-the-democratic-party-became-a-haunted-house/
Now back to the topic, I don't think we're going to see too many complaints about the Apple/Google exposure notification efforts once it's been rolled out. The problem now is that too many people completely misunderstand how it will be designed and end up posting FUD either by intent or accident. The problem later may be that too few take part in it. Heck even the widely praised BlueTrace that Singapore came up with was only used by around 16% of their population, and they actually trust their government for the most part. That small a percentage is hardly enough to have been very effective. Australia will suffer the same fate I'm afraid.
IMHO Apple/Google have the greatest chance of seeing something more than 15% uptake with as consistent and pervasive as it will be, but a lot more than that is necessary for a truly effective contact tracing plan.
All individual humans, and groups of humans, and institutions created by humans, have the potential for both good and harm. There are are no easy answers, but Apple and Google appear to have arrived at a solution that balances multiple competing priorities.
An atrocious event. They ruined his house over what began as the theft of a belt and two shirts. Clearly, the police/state has too much power via policy in that district. Unfortunately it is conservative courts that typically side with law enforcement over the citizenry. This needs to change; the state absolutely should have financial responsibility for damages they inflict in the name of the job. Without any checks or balances for accountability, they could bulldoze over anything in the name of getting the job done.
However, the good news is, in our country we have a court system that goes up to the SCOTUS, and there are opportunities for them to correct bad policy.
Strange that Russia isn't penalized more on their list, considering recent clamp-downs on free speech, like banning criticism of the government online. Oops.