Would you use the App?

Definitely would if it gets the country back up and running. Anyone tracking me would quickly get bored.

I’d leave my phone at home Maizie!

2 months or so behind Vietnam Shameful really.

I don't possess a mobile , too fiddly.

It's a shame we have so many suspicious people. The app is anonymous and as far as I know you can be tracked by your phone number anyway if the Police were after you. It's ridiculous to be so precious about it because this will help trace infected people you've been in contact with! Surely anyone would want that.

Maizie if we weren't allowed out I wouldn't go out regardless of apps! I've never been a rebel and even less so now!

I did wonder. how many people wouldn't have a smart phone or indeed a mobile and how this would impact on its use. It isn't much use wanting say 80%. usage if only 70% of the population have a smart phone (these are entirely imaginary numbers by the way). And I wonder about children they are supposed to be super-spreaders but how many under 11s have phones?

Yes I would. There is more of a privacy issue with using debit cards,loyalty cards or being on a forum.

Paying by card,which most of us are doing,tells where you were ,when and what you bought,store loyalty will tell you how often you buy anything and will send vouchers for items you buy regularly.

Looking at posts on a forum there is information about all aspects of life.

The app only tells you if you have been within 2 metres of a reported Covid case.

I don't have/don't want a mobile phone and wonder if this could escalate into being forced by the government to get one.

Yes definitely - I think we’ve got to be open to all sorts of new approaches to help reduce the impact of this virus until such time as we have a vaccine or drug treatments

The govt expert said that they are working on what to do about those who can’t afford, or choose not to have a mobile phone so I guess we have to wait and see.

Yes I would.
The problem is, I am not wedded to my phone and frequently leave it behind in the house.

I can’t imagine there would be any way to enforce people to self isolate for 14 days if the App alerts them that they had been in contact with a virus sufferer.

Apparently Bluetooth’s technology covers an area of approximately 30feet, way outside the range of infection.

I honestly can’t see people abiding by the’self isolate’ rule once that is known.

It also can’t differentiate between a contact made whilst indoors in a confined space or one whilst, say, walking along the seafront on a very breezy day like today.

As things are, no I wouldn't. The app hasn't yet been cleared by NHS Digital for its app store or the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). There are still concerns about data security. It uses Bluetooth rather than GPS, but it's not true that a person remains anonymous if they are infected or need to be traced.

It still hasn't been worked out what will happen if a person has been in contact with an infected person. Serco has been given the contract to trace people by phone. I know I'm being a party pooper, but my opinion is that the government is being over-reliant on smart technology, when it really needs boots on the ground from people with local knowledge. Unfortunately that won't happen because local authority public health responsibilities have been stripped to the bone.

Given Cummings' history of data mining and misuse, I remain extremely cautious.

In my case, it wouldn't matter much because I don't go out anyway.

JenniferEccles That's why I don't think it will work effectively anyway. I'm glad you wrote that - not me.

I'm with you growstuff. I'm all for it BUT not if he has a hand in it. That man is not to be trusted and neither is anything he's involved with.

Reading these comments I can't see this app ever working. So many suspicious and uncooperative people who simply won't pull together for the health of the nation. Why? Because they imagine that they will be the victim of some kind of conspiracy. As if anyone is interested in them!

I am not being suspicious and uncooperative, nor do I imagine that I will be the victim of some sort of conspiracy, but I do not want anything to do with a system which has Cummings hand in it. As far as I am concerned, him, his buddies at Cambridge Analytica did enough damage with Brexit. So what is likely to happen? I walk past someone, at a safe distance, and that person is subsequently diagnosed with Covid19; I get a text telling me this, and that I should self isolate for another two weeks. How will this be enforced? I suspect we will all be blamed for not taking part in this tardy and ill thought out exercise, it will be our fault when the deaths rise again.

Yes, I probably would use it. I'm 61, in good health and I still work part-time.

Yes, of course I’ll install it.

But then, I don’t give a toss who knows who I am or where I live. Things which are easy to find out anyway. If the dishy bloke down the road arranges an assignation, or if I decide the time is right to break into the bank, I’ll just leave the phone at home.

After the pandemic is over, I’ll uninstall the app and/or get a new phone. But for now, in a time of emergency, things are different and some freedoms have to be put on the back burner.

Now, if they want to implant a tracking device into the back of my skull, or fix a tracker around my ankle I may object.

I don’t think self isolating will be enforced Gill57, any more than self-isolating or shielding is now. It’s down to your conscience and sense of social responsibility.

Some info as to why is isn't a good idea

www.wired.co.uk/article/nhs-covid-19-tracking-app-contact-tracing

tech.newstatesman.com/coronavirus/palantir-covid19-datastore-coronavirus

www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/apr/28/contact-tracing-cant-be-run-by-westminster-experts-warn

Chestnut I don't suppose anybody is the slightest bit interested in me. As it is, plenty of organisations have data on me, but I hope the data is only used for legitimate purposes. I really don't trust Cummings and his mates.

It's not a question of not wanting to pull together. I have every intention of staying within my four walls for the foreseeable future, so it really doesn't make any difference as far as I'm concerned. I'm not letting any "side" down because nobody is going to infect me and I'm not going to infect anybody else. I'm doing more to stop the spread than the people who insist on bending the rules because they think a little visit to their best friend or just one hug from their grandchild won't matter.

Lastly, I did write "as things are". If improvements are made, I'll reconsider (provided my phone can cope with it). It hasn't been approved by NHS Digital and the Information Commissioner Office (ICO) has concerns about its security.

There are also concerns about whether it will actually be effective. The crucial factor is how the information is used to track people and whether those people will follow any advice given. The current evidence would suggest that some people will persist in thinking that somehow the rules don't apply to them.

In Singapore, where the population tends to be youngish and tech savvy, the take up was only 20%. The reason Singapore has been successful in reducing infection rates was old-fashioned knocking on doors.

NfkDumpling One of the concerns is that your information will already have been stored, even if you subsequently uninstall the app.

For this to work, not only does a high percentage of the population need to install it, but they need to have enough faith in it to use it as it is intended.

Once doubts start to creep in, can we be sure enough people will still be fully onboard to comply with the rules?

I’m not saying I won’t take part - I honestly don’t know at this stage.

That’s a surprise about the low take up rate in Singapore growstuff for all the reasons you mentioned.