Thread by @jimkillock

As @NHSX plunge ahead with the #trackandtrace app, here’s a helpful set of basic issues:

(1) “Self reporting” undermines trust in the app

Most “pings” won’t result in illness. If people know the reports aren’t reliable, they may conclude the app’s pings are junk. #covid19uk

(2) BlueTooth battery issues will persist

Despite government claims it is unlilkely @NHSX have fully solved this problem as the device will need to 'wake up'. Battery drain may be worst in commutes, in busy streets etc.

#trackandtrace #covid19uk

(3) The world is going the other way [1]

Most governments are going with Apple and Google’s baked-in solution. This makes solutions like the UK’s unable to work with most of the rest of the world.

Cross-border contacts get more important over time.

#trackandtrace #covid19uk

(4) The world is going the other way [2]

The @NHSX App won’t be compatible with systems in Eire, so we have a Digital Hard Border across Ireland.

You may be able to contact trace in Australia or France, but not most of Europe or the USA.

#trackandtrace #covid19uk

(5) Oh yes, privacy [1]

The @NHSX team seem to have consulted with @ICOnews but not, er, on the actual Data Protection Impact Assessment.

Is this a good sign of competent risk management?

#trackandtrace #covid19uk

(6) Oh yes, privacy [2]

So finally, why are they building a massive database of people’s contact history (in pseudonymous relinkable form)?

Go back to (1) Self-reporting. They need to be able to find bad actors and scour them out.

#trackandtrace #covid19uk

This was admitted by @NHSX to @rowlsmanthorpe today. Essentially the junk idea of self-reporting which has nothing to do with lack of testing capacity forces the centralised approach.

CONCLUSION:

This @NHSX App has been designed arse about tit, as it were, and now we have to suffer the privacy / usability / efficacy consequences.

Thanks very much HMG, nice one.

#trackandtrace #covid19uk