Covid App - Bluetooth

**CliveM** · 09-12-2020, 07:10 PM

Why do I get the feeling that we are being lied to about this Covid tracking App being anonymous. If it is it could not be used to identify and track anyone which would make the whole exercise pointless. Also having Bluetooth enabled provides a method of attack for anyone so inclined.

**wainuitech** · 09-12-2020, 07:58 PM

Have you read the actual wording on how it works ??

Enable for contact alerts
We recommend enabling alerts. NZ COVID Tracer will let you know if you have checked into a location at the same time as a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19, so you can be on the watch for any symptoms and take appropriate steps to protect your friends and whānau.

Upon download of the app you will be asked if you want receive contact alerts. If you chose not to, or you turned them off, you can turn them back via the Dashboard.

Note: once enabled you can disable again via your phone settings, look for NZ COVID Tracer settings.

Contact alerts work through ‘push notifications’ to your phone. This does not involve transmitting any location information from your phone to the Ministry of Health or anyone else.

And from the actual Apps Privacy when it starts:

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Whats interesting or a worry depending on how you look at it is going back over the last few months if you been using it -- Tends to have a pattern of where you go, same places week after week -

Pak N Save, Joes Cook, Bunnings

Could it be used differently, sure it can if worried don't use it, BUT Remember places like GOOGLE and APPLE track you every second of the day if your phones on.

**CliveM** · 09-12-2020, 08:10 PM

Originally Posted by wainuitech

Have you read the actual wording on how it works ??

And from the actual Apps Privacy when it starts:

Whats interesting or a worry depending on how you look at it is going back over the last few months if you been using it -- Tends to have a pattern of where you go, same places week after week -

Pak N Save, Joes Cook, Bunnings

Could it be used differently, sure it can if worried don't use it, BUT Remember places like GOOGLE and APPLE track you every second of the day if your phones on.

Ok Wai and just what is anonymous in that? If they do not Know who you are they cannot contact you. GOOGLE/APPLE do not pretend to not know who you are.

**wainuitech** · 09-12-2020, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by CliveM

Ok Wai and just what is anonymous in that? If they do not Know who you are they cannot contact you. GOOGLE/APPLE do not pretend to not know who you are.

Well if you cant understand how the alerts work, and the last line then Theres no helping you.

If the Alerts are turned on, YOUR CHOICE

you will be asked if you want receive contact alerts.

then you approve any sort of tracking, if you have it off then of course you wont get alerts.

Contact alerts work through ‘push notifications’ to your phone. .

As I said if you dont like it dont install or use it.

As for bluetooth -- You do know that the hands free for phones in cars and lots of other tasks use Bluetooth ??

**CliveM** · 09-12-2020, 08:59 PM

Calm down Wai

. I understand exactly how this App and how Bluetooth work. I have no problem with the App being used for its intended purpose. My point was/is that we are being told that its use is anonymous when it obviously is anything but. In fact it is totally useless if you do not upload data when requested to do so and if you are anonymous just how does a "Contact Tracer" know who you are to ask you to upload that data to start with!

**psycik** · 10-12-2020, 06:49 AM

Originally Posted by CliveM

Calm down Wai

. I understand exactly how this App and how Bluetooth work. I have no problem with the App being used for its intended purpose. My point was/is that we are being told that its use is anonymous when it obviously is anything but. In fact it is totally useless if you do not upload data when requested to do so and if you are anonymous just how does a "Contact Tracer" know who you are to ask you to upload that data to start with!

Have you read through the source code to make that claim? It's been open sourced?

And also, who cares....of all the things tracking you on your phone, the one that might have contain an outbreak and advise me I've been on contact with someone sick is the least of my worries.

**CliveM** · 10-12-2020, 07:50 AM

Originally Posted by psycik

Have you read through the source code to make that claim? It's been open sourced?

And also, who cares....of all the things tracking you on your phone, the one that might have contain an outbreak and advise me I've been on contact with someone sick is the least of my worries.

I very much dislike being deliberatly lied to particularly by the government who should be beyond reproach. Be quite clear I have no problem with the fact that anyone with a mobile device can be and often is tracked. The whole point of this Covid App is to enable contacts to be traced and that idea certainly has merit. Why pretend that users are anonymous when they quite obviously are not.

**the_bogan** · 10-12-2020, 08:26 AM

My understanding is it's not you who are being traced. The government doesn't know who you are. They just know your phone.

**psycik** · 10-12-2020, 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by CliveM

I very much dislike being deliberatly lied to particularly by the government who should be beyond reproach. Be quite clear I have no problem with the fact that anyone with a mobile device can be and often is tracked. The whole point of this Covid App is to enable contacts to be traced and that idea certainly has merit. Why pretend that users are anonymous when they quite obviously are not.

How are they lying to you when they publish the code for all to see. And while you may not be able to read it, there will be a bunch of poeple going rhough it, and will come out/call out any non obvious calls that allay your concerns.

**wainuitech** · 10-12-2020, 08:48 AM

Originally Posted by CliveM

Calm down Wai

. I understand exactly how this App and how Bluetooth work. I have no problem with the App being used for its intended purpose. My point was/is that we are being told that its use is anonymous when it obviously is anything but. In fact it is totally useless if you do not upload data when requested to do so and if you are anonymous just how does a "Contact Tracer" know who you are to ask you to upload that data to start with!

The Bluetooth uses a random ID to talk to other phones, and as psycik posted rather be warned if there's an outbreak. Mind you it really doesn't matter, since when there's been outbreaks anywhere in the country its all over the Media anyway.

Google and Apple are WAY Worse -- esp with Alexa and Siri, to prove this the other week, some of the ladies in the office where SWMBO works were talking about something (cant remember now wasn't really listening but their phones were) two of them have Iphones and one uses Siri, low and behold within 30 minutes they were getting targeted ads relating to what they were talking about.