General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWas a COVID-19 tracker really added to your phone?
Variations of the post have been spreading across social media platforms and read something like this:
So when everyone was having phone disruptions earlier this week, they were adding COVID-19 Trackers to our phones. If you have an Android phone, go under Settings, then GOOGLE settings and its there. If you have an iPhone, go to settings, privacy, then health. I dont think you really overstand what theyre trying to do here.
While you may notice a new entry in the settings folder on your phone it was included in a May 20 update for iPhones, and theres a Google Play Services update for Android users, 9to5Mac reported it doesnt mean an app has been installed, according to Forbes.
https://www.kansascity.com/news/coronavirus/article243694062.html
I can confirm that this was added to my phone without notice or warning.
NightWatcher
(39,343 posts)SammyWinstonJack
(44,129 posts)Johnny2X2X
(18,745 posts)Then go to privacy and enable it to track your location. Seems like a good idea, I'll set it up on my phone later.
ecstatic
(32,567 posts)and will not do anything to stop the virus.
MuseRider
(34,058 posts)Android as well. Thought it was the dumbest thing in the world and actually worrisome even though I did not know how it would help, a good lot of the people you would need to know about have not been tested and do not care to be. I did not install it.
randr
(12,408 posts)Is there a site that has any factual info on how this all works?
soothsayer
(38,601 posts)katmondoo
(6,454 posts)USALiberal
(10,877 posts)ecstatic
(32,567 posts)sweetloukillbot
(10,809 posts)For letting us know...
matt819
(10,749 posts)Yes, a Covid feature was added and is disabled by default. It requires you to download an app that works with this feature.
Sure, apps are tracking us everywhere, but this is not one of them. Im sure there are tons of features that one might find helpful, or that one might fear, that are disabled until you enable them.
No need for hysteria.
Arkansas Granny
(31,483 posts)Tetrachloride
(7,728 posts)1. What model phone
2. What is the name of the app
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)There IS something:
And the end-user is in control of it. From installing the app, to removing it and erasing the data.
Both companies issued a statement outlining their plans back in May. https://blog.google/inside-google/company-announcements/apple-google-exposure-notification-api-launches/
WIRED.com has a good article on the apps that aren't available yet.
https://www.wired.com/story/covid-19-contact-tracing-apple-google/
So many Kool-Aid gulpers have paranoid leanings that trap them in circular "reasoning": "Government can't be trusted and is out to get us. I don't trust anything or anyone. Therefore, government can't be trusted and neither can anything else." Sounds like condemnation to secular hell to me. How to protect them from the pandemic of mind-fuckers?
ecstatic
(32,567 posts)It's cool to see how quickly Apple and Google took the initiative and got this done.
That being said, if it's optional for users, then they probably wasted their time.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)contact tracing, etc, something like 3/4. I suspect the virus must have been one significant factor in the extremely poor attendance at Trump's rally, even among those hard-core Trump followers.
My husband and I are all in, though I feel as if our retiree self isolation could put even Apple's and Google's computers into sleep mode.
dweller
(23,562 posts)✌🏼
ecstatic
(32,567 posts)updates? 🤔
dweller
(23,562 posts)i turn it on/off when done, and i have no updates pending
i'm cool with it
✌🏼n
Wawannabe
(5,580 posts)I do have it on my iPhone. It is default set to off looks like. I keep my loc services off unless I need it for directions. I turned on and off - the Covid app stayed off. So, it does look like you have to allow or enable it to track.
Shit! This is troubling tho. I got an ios update and it didnt mention. I always try to find out what in the update before dwnld and install. Hmmm!?
LizBeth
(9,946 posts)to son. Mostly happened texting to the son with android phone but has happened a few times with son with iphone. It is better now but still get it every once in a while.
Buckeye_Democrat
(14,847 posts)... to update it for awhile, which I haven't done.
No Wifi for me at home, and I haven't stopped at any free Wifi hotspots to do it.
ananda
(28,783 posts)Last edited Tue Jun 23, 2020, 12:24 PM - Edit history (1)
Under Privacy-Health there is a
Covid-19 logging tracker. But it's
already off.
Buckeye_Democrat
(14,847 posts)... and it's the same for me.
Automatically off, and a tracking app is needed as well. (I might actually do it!)
Baclava
(12,047 posts)Those only come from local or state health dept that tracks positive cases, and only a couple states are using it so far
Even then you have to opt in and u can disable it anytime
Buckeye_Democrat
(14,847 posts)I was willing to do it, actually, but Ohio has stated they're not participating.