Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Chief Problem With German Corona App

I've sat over the past week, and had at least a dozen 'experts' appear on German public TV (ARD/ZDF) and explain the App.

So you can imagine....privacy of data is a big deal with Germans, and it seems that the product has done enough to cover that worry.

But I came to this odd feature.  Your phone (with the App) will send a signal out and chat with other phones that are within x-distance of you....simply recording their 'secret' code.  It records the code and nothing else.  But the storage of this code only occurs, if your 'friend' is within 1.5 meters, and your 'meeting' lasts more than 15 minutes.  Otherwise, it's not recorded.

So you meet 'Huns' for coffee but stand 2.3 meters apart, or your coffee meeting lasts for seven minutes?  The meeting with 'Huns' won't be recorded. 

Meeting with the Hungarian cleaning lady at your apartment with the both of you in the 1.5 meter range, and the 'chat' lasts only nine minutes?  It won't be recorded.

Popping on a subway car in Frankfurt and standing next to 8 people (within 1.5 meters) but you get off the car after four minutes?  It won't be recorded.

I sat and pondered over my twenty-odd scenarios.  For my stupid bus ride into the city....it is a 18-minute ride, so those three people within 1.5 meters will be recorded.  Beyond that, for the rest of the four-hour trip....it probably won't record anyone else, except for the people on the bus when I'm heading home.

Just my humble opinion, but I would imagine in four months....the health gurus will assemble and suggest that 15 minutes isn't enough, and suggest it be trimmed down to three minutes. 

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