April 29, 2021 Share
The Dutch government has temporarily disabled its coronavirus warning app amid data privacy concerns for people who have the app installed on phones using the Android operating system.
Health Minister Hugo de Jonge announced late Wednesday that the CoronaMelder app will stop sending warnings for 48 hours while the government checks if users’ data is secure.
The Dutch app uses “exposure notification” technology developed by Google and Apple that generates random codes that can be exchanged by phones whose users are close to one another for long enough to possibly transmit the virus.
The health ministry says that it is possible for other apps on Android phones to access data about whether its user’s had been infected and its contacts with other phones.
Google Accused of Using COVID-19 to Spy on People
In April 2020, due to the unprecedented times caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Google and Apple partnered up to create a COVID-19 tracking feature for their respective platforms. The new tech was designed to warn users if they come into contact with anyone infected with the virus.
However, now, Google is being sued by its users alleging that the search engine giant exposed their personal data via its COVID-19 exposure-notification system with Apple. The case has been filed in the federal court for invasion of privacy.
Two individuals from California who have proposed the action lawsuit claim that any information from a user’s anonymous positive report of coronavirus using Google’s system can be inferred from “rolling proximity identifiers” that were supposed to be untraceable.
THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS The Dutch government has temporarily disabled its coronavirus warning app amid data privacy concerns for people who have the app installed on phones using the Android operating system. Health Minister Hugo de Jonge announced late Wednesday that the CoronaMelder app will stop sending warnings for 48 hours while the government checks if users data is secure. The Dutch app uses exposure notification technology developed by Google and Apple that generates random codes that can be exchanged by phones whose users are close to one another for long enough to possibly transmit the virus. The Dutch health ministry says that it is possible for other apps on Android phones to access data about whether its user s had been infected and its contacts with other phones.
Dutch Government Suspends Coronavirus App Over Data Leak Fears
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29 Apr 2021
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) – The Dutch government has temporarily disabled its coronavirus warning app amid data privacy concerns for people who have the app installed on phones using the Android operating system.
Health Minister Hugo de Jonge announced late Wednesday that the CoronaMelder app will stop sending warnings for 48 hours while the government checks if users’ data is secure.
The Dutch app uses “exposure notification” technology developed by Google and Apple that generates random codes that can be exchanged by phones whose users are close to one another for long enough to possibly transmit the virus.
Dutch government pauses coronavirus app over data leak fears
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MIKE CORDER, Associated Press
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Dutch customers eager for their first drink of coffee or something stronger at a cafe terrace have flocked to outdoor seating as the Netherlands lockdown eased in Utrecht, Wednesday, April 28, 2021. The Netherlands became the latest European country to begin cautiously relaxing its lockdown even as infection rates and intensive care occupancy remain stubbornly high. The Dutch follow Italy, Greece, France and other European nations in moving to reopen society and edge away from economically crippling lockdowns in the coming weeks.Peter Dejong/AP
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) The Dutch government has temporarily disabled its coronavirus warning app amid data privacy concerns for people who have the app installed on phones using the Android operating system.