Short thread on the combined Google/Apple API for Global Contact Tracing:
For the first time (I think, ever?) Google and Apple teams have collaborated to create the small bit of code to enable iPhone and Android Devices to run various Contact Tracing Apps.
For the first time (I think, ever?) Google and Apple teams have collaborated to create the small bit of code to enable iPhone and Android Devices to run various Contact Tracing Apps.
This code is being unrolled worldwide in tranches, and will be dropped to your device within, I think, the next 5 weeks.
Depending on your settings, you may or not see a notification for it. If you do, accept it. You can trust it.
Depending on your settings, you may or not see a notification for it. If you do, accept it. You can trust it.
Note : This is not the Contact Tracing App. It's the Code that makes Contact Tracing possible, which various nations applications will call on.
Almost all nations have chosen this route - which keeps data on your phone and only on your phone.
This is called 'Decentralised'.
Almost all nations have chosen this route - which keeps data on your phone and only on your phone.
This is called 'Decentralised'.
Among the very, very few nations that have *NOT* chosen this Decentralised Data Route .. is the UK.
There has been no official explanation why.
There has been no official explanation why.
I mention this as the Tech Guru Leo Laporte, has been covering this matter in detail on his recent podcast, TwiT.
Leo Laporte *knows* this stuff.
Leo Laporte *knows* this stuff.
So effectively this code is redundant for UK users.
But numerous tech guys have devoured the code (it's been made Open Source) and approved it for privacy - which is the point.
The UK Government code is Closed Source - no-one can see what it contains.
But numerous tech guys have devoured the code (it's been made Open Source) and approved it for privacy - which is the point.
The UK Government code is Closed Source - no-one can see what it contains.
If you want more information on this API, Leo Laporte's podcast TwiT is linked here.
The discussion over the API is late on (it's a two hour show!) so FF to 1:48:30 for the start of the piece.
Well worth a watch.
The discussion over the API is late on (it's a two hour show!) so FF to 1:48:30 for the start of the piece.
Well worth a watch.
Add to the list of nations NOT using this API is France and Australia, which TwiT's Security expert Steve Gibson - and he really is the expert - described as ...
... 'a pretty horrific data grab'.
... 'a pretty horrific data grab'.
Google and Apple are now working jointly on their own, worldwide App down the road - which will be Privacy focused, open source, and available to any who want to use it or examine it.
A very rare example of Tech Giants collaborating.
A very rare example of Tech Giants collaborating.
[Updated clarification on 'Open Source' - I've learned that it's not quite, but the white papers & code have been disseminated widely so the code although not reusable by others, is visible to the industry. So not technically 'open source', but as close as you're gonna get.]
