Germany's Covid contact tracing app is Open Source

Re:Germany's Covid contact tracing app is Open Source by PeterStuer on Wednesday June 03, 2020 @10:56AM (#23404028)

I have pointed out the weakness of the correlation between viral transmission vectors and BTLE radio signals these apps are relying on a few times before here on HN. I've pointed to the failure of deployment % reaching anywhere near the required density (and we are talking order of magnitude off here, not 'just missing a few %') where citizens had free choice. We've already seen many authorities requesting 'more control' and lambasting Google/Apple for being too restrictive.

But on HN, any criticism of this tech is met with a swift unsubstantiated down-vote.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Germany's Covid contact tracing app is Open Source by hn23 on Wednesday June 03, 2020 @12:34PM (#23405358)

It is because tech people think of tech solutions. Just as this whole pandemic was handled in the countries by virologists - who think in terms of viruses.

Reading about the app I remembered the book of Hans Rosling ("Factfulness") where he describes a situation in Africa during an Ebola outbreak. He wrote: There where people with apps everywhere. The apps were the hammers looking for nails. However, it just consumed resources and shadowed the fact that numbers reported were just messy and the epidemic was over 14 days ago. In the end they had to do data cleaning and they managed _Ebola_ without an app.

I think this app will make people become accustomed to getting traced for $reason.

[ Parent | on HN ]