The lack of context in which @CarolYujiaYin’s video of using health codes in China is being shared on twitter & linked to @techreview’s really good social distancing article seems to be creating confusion about how it’s actually being implemented.
My researchers in Wuhan & I (virtually) have been studying how people are using tech during the Quarantine. So here are some notes to clarify how tracking is actually done.
As @CarolYujiaYin said, every city has their health code rating sys. 健康码 for #COVID19 to determine if one is “safe” or not to enter a specific building or area.
BUT it’s WAY more confusing in practice! There are many competing systems w/ their own definition of “safe”.
BUT it’s WAY more confusing in practice! There are many competing systems w/ their own definition of “safe”.
The health code sys. 健康码 is not universal applied across China.
It’s implemented in places that have had an outbreak. When the West sees anything around data in China, people think it’s some perfect system that surveillance people every single step but it’s not the case here.
It’s implemented in places that have had an outbreak. When the West sees anything around data in China, people think it’s some perfect system that surveillance people every single step but it’s not the case here.
There are competing health code systems & it’s confusing people.
We documented 6 competing codes that one woman had to use just to be “safe” for work:
1. Wuhan city code
2. Hubei provincial code
3. community 社区code
4. Alipay code
5. Tencent code
6. Guangzhou code
We documented 6 competing codes that one woman had to use just to be “safe” for work:
1. Wuhan city code
2. Hubei provincial code
3. community 社区code
4. Alipay code
5. Tencent code
6. Guangzhou code
So there’s a mix of 4 types of codes: city, province, community, and app (Alipay, wechat) codes.
People are complaining that all the competing codes are making it hard to get back to work or get around.
People are complaining that all the competing codes are making it hard to get back to work or get around.
Each system has their definition of what is “safe”— adding to the confusions
All codes work on a 14 day quarantine, but the day that the code gives you a “green” which means you’re healthy, varies in each system.
All codes work on a 14 day quarantine, but the day that the code gives you a “green” which means you’re healthy, varies in each system.
In Hangzhou, one can be healthy on day 7, whereas in Wuhan it can be day 3.
There are discussion of a national health code system and in fact some people online are asking for it.
There are discussion of a national health code system and in fact some people online are asking for it.
The health code system 健康码 isn’t doing a continuous GPS tracking of a person.
It’s tracking the entry and exit of a person into places, such as transportation, buildings, and cities through the QR codes attached to one’s Alipay or WeChat app.
Refer to pictures attached.
It’s tracking the entry and exit of a person into places, such as transportation, buildings, and cities through the QR codes attached to one’s Alipay or WeChat app.
Refer to pictures attached.
AND there is another location system called 4G by thr 3 largest cell providers (Telecom, Unicom, Mobile) that tells you what cities you’ve been to, NOT the exact GPS trace of your movements.
To enter a building such as an apt complex or your work place, they can request that you show them which cities you’ve been in the last 14 days. The user sends a message to their cellphone carrier and the carrier texts back which cities your SIM card has been in the last 14 days
The system is primarily built to reveal if someone has been to Hubei Province to not.
Here is a message sent out by Unicom informing users of this newly launched service:
Here is a message sent out by Unicom informing users of this newly launched service:
China Unicom: The Ministry of Industry & Info. Tech. reminder: SMS can provide you w/ "Proof of Trip". The user can send "the last 4 digits of # ID card" to 101, authorizing a query of the provinces & cities you visited in the past 14 days (stay >4 hours). This is a pub. service.
Original text:
中国联通：
工信部提醒：短信可以为您提供“行程证明”。用户可发送“cxmyd#身份证后四位”至10010，授权查询您近14日内到访的省市信息（驻留超4小时）。此为公益服务。
中国联通：
工信部提醒：短信可以为您提供“行程证明”。用户可发送“cxmyd#身份证后四位”至10010，授权查询您近14日内到访的省市信息（驻留超4小时）。此为公益服务。
This is the message the user receives back:
Dear [user’s cell #] customer, hello! According to your authorized inquiry, as of March 11, you have visited Wuhan City, Hubei within the last 14 days.
Dear [user’s cell #] customer, hello! According to your authorized inquiry, as of March 11, you have visited Wuhan City, Hubei within the last 14 days.
For other days roaming enquiries, please visit Unicom Mobile Business Hall, u.10010.cn/qALm9. This is a public service. The query results are for reference only.
Original text: 中国联通：
尊敬的 (手机号码）客户，您好！根据您的授权查询，截止3月11日，您于近14日内曾到访：湖北武汉市。其它天数漫游地查询请访问联通手机营业厅，u.10010.cn/qALm9。此为公益服务，查询结果仅供参考。
尊敬的 (手机号码）客户，您好！根据您的授权查询，截止3月11日，您于近14日内曾到访：湖北武汉市。其它天数漫游地查询请访问联通手机营业厅，u.10010.cn/qALm9。此为公益服务，查询结果仅供参考。
AND then to enter or leave a 小区 residential building (meaning one’s home usually), requires a temperature test, not a 4G or a heath code system scan.
Several things we can learn from these fieldnotes for people building tech to manage #covid19
There are many diff and creative ways to track people. Often times people’s minds go to the most invasive type of tracking - step by step geo specific down to exact coordinates.
There are many diff and creative ways to track people. Often times people’s minds go to the most invasive type of tracking - step by step geo specific down to exact coordinates.
