Germany launches coronavirus tracing app to break the chain amid privacy concerns

Germany launched a coronavirus tracing app which is being touted as safe and secure by the government officials amid concerns of privacy and surveillance. The “Corona Warn-app” is available on both App Store and Google Play and said to be an open-source project to help trace infection chains of COVID-19 patients.

According to the app website, it is based on technologies with a decentralised approach and notifies users if they have been exposed to the virus. Tracing applications have become a major tool to break the coronavirus chain but European countries have been facing legal and cultural hurdles due to the strict data privacy standards.

The German government has insisted that use of the application will be voluntary after the opposition Left party called for a law to ensure businesses do not coerce employees and customers into using it. A spokesperson for the German Interior Ministry said that the country’s IT security agency was involved from the start and there can be an unreserved recommendation to members of the federal government to use this app.

Read: Trump Pulling Number Of US Troops In Germany To 25,000 Over NATO Spending Feud

Surveillance concerns

Digital surveillance in the wake of coronavirus pandemic has raised concerns over privacy and rights activists believe that it could be the next victim of coronavirus. Electronic Frontier Foundation, a San Franciso-based non-profit digital rights group, had said in a blog post that such extraordinary powers would invade privacy and deter free speech.

It demanded the governments show that the use of such powers would be proportionate and based on science to combat the ongoing crisis. It opposed the use of some of the technologies for surveillance calling it extremely invasive and dangerous.

“If the public grants such powers to the government, these powers must expire when the crisis ends, contain strict anti-bias rules, and be subject to strict safeguards and audits,” the group said.

Read: US President Trump Announces Major US Troop Cut In 'delinquent' Germany

Read: How To Download Microsoft Teams App On Android? Know Everything Here