CODE PORTAL

Technology is being developed by the government to monitor and control the spread of COVID-19. Here is how it will work.

When a person is diagnosed with the virus, their App will send out a signal via Bluetooth to surrounding cell phones, alerting them that an infected person is close by. An acoustic sound from the infected persons phone will also signal to others, letting them know which one of the surrounding strangers they are. Sounds great, right?

The Government of the Province of Alberta has introduced a mobile contact tracing app, “ABTraceTogether” (the Alberta version), which utilizes Bluetooth with the aim of letting users know if they have been exposed to COVID-19 or have been exposed to others that may have it. Alberta’s “ABTraceTogether” app was developed using the same code that formed basis of Singapore’s “TraceTogether” App.

Currently the government of the Province of Alberta is the only Canadian government to introduce a COVID-19 contact tracing app. The Federal Government of Canada has however also begun testing a mobile-based contact tracing app to be used nationwide. The app will utilize Bluetooth technology and compile a list of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases nationwide to notify Canadians when they have been in close proximity to others who have received a positive diagnosis.

The Federal Government of Canada has signalled that the voluntary, free app will be available for download beginning early July. The Federal Privacy Commissioner of Canada (Canada’s Federal Privacy Regulator) has not yet issued a set of specific recommendations regarding the proposed Canada-wide app.

What are considered to be the major privacy concerns in relation to the apps use (a) by the government; and (b) by private sector organizations?

The App is viewed to be minimally intrusive from a privacy perspective (especially in light of Alberta Privacy Commissioner’s positive comments) as it is voluntary and collects very little information, which is only used for the limited purpose of contacting users in the event of a positive test. Major privacy concerns centre around employers potentially requiring employees to download the app as a condition of being permitted to return to the workplace.

Currently a major issue is that there is insufficient uptake within the population for the app to be effective and technological issues in that the app is always required to be open and on to work properly and transmission can be interrupted while other phone applications are being used (i.e. email).

What about a less intrusive solution?

The problem with the currently proposed government solution is that it needs virtually everybody to participate and install the App on their phone for it to be effective. This seems like there could be a lot of room for error, considering the willingness for everyone to do this. Would it not be simpler to just quarantine the infected and leave everyone else to their privacy and go on with their day? Indeed it would.

Is the government solution just being used to better monitor and control citizens?

A quick refresh course in modern history will surely give you the answer. This virus is in fact deadly to the elderly and to those with underlying conditions, so we should be cautious. How about putting a simple wristband (or ankle bracelet) on the infected and keeping them quarantined, instead of forcing the entirety of civilization under surveillance?

This process is tried and true within the criminal justice system. Yes, it would mean that we would be forced to stay at home when infected, but it is obviously for the greater good, and would not require everyone else to conform to the privacy risk of these proposed apps. Just food for thought

Security of privacy got big attention today but it’s still not enough so just how do we get exposed?

They all have what is called Automatic Content Recognition (AGR) which monitors what you watch. And of course, you must be connected to the internet via hard wire or Wi-Fi. The AGR is turned on by default.

Is seems like the more connected we get the more privacy we lose. In a report and investigation from “Consumers Report” they found that some smart TV’s can track what you watch. The newer Smart TV from LG, Samsung, Sony, Vizio and others might be doing just that. It seems like they were trying to compete with Nielson in an attempt to do a better job at ratings. Most of us watch Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, RoKu and others. All of these need a Wi-Fi connection to operate.

The next thing you should ask, can my TV be hacked?

Can someone hack into my smart TV and take control of it or do something else? The answer to both is yes. How difficult this is depends on the TV manufacturer or the maker of the Ruku, Hulu or other hardware devices connected to your TV. They should have some type of security protection.

Can any of this be stopped?

There are two basic ways, first is to unplug or disconnect the internet from your smart TV, this isn’t always practical. The second will take a little work and digging into the menu options of your TV. Most of the TV manufacturers will have a way to shut off the Automatic Content Recognition, this will vary depending on the TV. You should be able to find this in your TV user’s manual or on the manufacturers web site. The setting will usually be found in the System or Support setting in your setup menu.

It seems that we are getting more “connected” every day with this connection comes many opportunities for you to lose more of your privacy. One of the best ways to stop or limit spying is to make sure that your Wi-Fi router is updated and that you have it set to the highest security with a very strong password. As you add additional connected items to your home make sure that you understand what information they collect from you and how they will use it.

All security for your home, car, internet, etc. starts with you. Do your research and make the necessary changes to protect your privacy.

George Uliano is a security professional with years of law enforcement and security experience. He earned a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice and Business graduating with honors. George holds three U.S. patents on different locking principles. This combination gives George and His Company Locking Systems International Inc the unique ability to provide

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9963077