Australia launches a contact-tracing app that records digital handshakes between smartphones via Bluetooth, seeing 1.1M signups within a few hours

- Software records digital handshake between smartphones — Tracking app needs to overcome privacy concerns to succeed

Bloomberg 2020-04-27

Context & Ripple Effects

Australia's launch lands mid-race: after China and South Korea used smartphones to track COVID-19 patients, Singapore moved to open source its Bluetooth-based TraceTogether app, effectively publishing the template other governments could copy. The UK's NHSX is building a comparable Bluetooth app with Google and Apple at breakneck speed, so Canberra's signup numbers are the first real adoption datapoint among Western democracies.

First-order effects

1.1M signups within hours gives Australia an unusually fast opt-in base, but the app only works if enough of the population keeps it running — and Bloomberg flags unresolved privacy concerns as the gating factor for sustained uptake.

Second-order effects

The UK's NHSX project now has a benchmark: if Australia's voluntary model stalls on privacy distrust, London's design choices around Google and Apple cooperation come under pressure; if it holds, other governments accelerate their own launches.

Third-order effects

India's experience — where [[a:953200|75M+ downloads came with warnings the app could become state surveillance beyond the pandemic]] — sketches the structural risk: emergency health infrastructure built on Bluetooth handshakes may outlive the emergency unless sunset provisions are designed in from the start.

The trend: Governments are converging on Bluetooth proximity logging as the standard pandemic-tracing architecture, with voluntary adoption rates and post-pandemic data retention emerging as the two variables that decide whether the category survives.

Discussion

@matthewrdev Matthew Robbins on x
The #covidsafe app is now available in Australia 😷 However, it's a shame that they have decided not to release the source code for full transparency. Luckily, I'm a curious chap and also a professional mobile developer.
@mcannonbrookes @mcannonbrookes on x
FYI I wrote a brief comment on Hacker News to try to explain how the tech community in Australia can fight some of the FUD about this app: https://news.ycombinator.com/ ... #covidsafe https://twitter.com/...
@greghuntmp Greg Hunt on x
As at 10:30 PM 1 million Australians have now downloaded and registered for the #CovidSafeapp - please join us and help protect ourselves, our families, each other but above all else our nurses and doctors
@geoffreyhuntley Geoffrey Huntley on x
Let's dissect #COVIDSafe (Android) - https://docs.google.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@greghuntmp Greg Hunt on x
1.89m people have now downloaded and registered for the #COVIDSafeApp as at 4pm today. This💪effort will help protect ourselves, our families, our nurses and our doctors. 🙏AUS as we work together to beat this virus. Visit an app store & download today. https://www.health.gov.au/..…
@troyhunt Troy Hunt on x
I've just installed #covidsafe and want to capture my thoughts on the experience and the general principles behind the app here, especially as they relate to privacy and trust in the government. My last thread on this was 11 days ago and is still relevant: https://twitter.com/...
@danconifer Dan Conifer on x
The privacy policy for the #COVIDSafe app says people *should* use their real names when signing up. “But you can use a pseudonym or fake name if you prefer” #auspol https://twitter.com/...
@ausgov Australian Government on x
To speed up how we notify you if you've possibly been exposed to COVID19, we've released the new #COVIDSafe app. It will help health officials let you know quickly if someone you've had contact with has tested positive for Coronavirus. Find out more at : https://www.health.gov.au…
@sunriseon7 Sunrise on x
“We hoped one million Australians might download it within five days - instead we hit one million within five hours” Health Minister @GregHuntMP joined us with an update on the COVIDSafe app and to to respond to @Barnaby_Joyce's concerns. How it works: https://7news.com.au/... ht…
@afl @afl on x
The AFL encourages our fans and supporters to download the COVIDSafe app to help stop the spread and save lives. #StayHomeSaveLives https://www.health.gov.au/...
@privacydigest @privacydigest on x
Privacy policy for COVIDSafe app | Australian Government Department of Health What personal information will be collected, and why is it being collected? https://www.health.gov.au/...
@healthgovau @healthgovau on x
The #COVIDSafe app helps slow the spread of #COVID19. Having confidence we can find & contain outbreaks quickly means govts can ease restrictions while still keeping Australians safe. Downloading the app helps protect you, your family & friends. More info: http://www.health.gov.a…
@pryorlisa Lisa Pryor on x
I know some people have reservations about the Australian Government's COVID19 tracing app, but on balance I have decided to download it, and hope many others will do the same. https://twitter.com/...
@paulfletchermp Paul Fletcher on x
The COVIDSafe app is now available on iPhone and Android. It is free to download and will help you, your family and friends stay safe from coronavirus while also aiding in stopping its spread. Visit http://www.health.gov.au/...> to learn more
@pipms Pip Marlow on x
We all have a role to play in creating the safest environment possible. Downloading the new tracing app will allow for our healthcare officials to do there job and protect us all. COVIDSafe app | Australian Government Department of Health https://www.health.gov.au/...
@troyhunt Troy Hunt on x
Next is the permissions requested and it's only Bluetooth and notifications. Some people have been concerned about location tracking - note that access to geolocation is *never* requested so #covidsafe will never be able to access it (this is controlled at the operating system). …
@quartermain10 Stephen Quartermain on x
It was so easy to download the COVIDSafe app. Hopefully it saves lives and helps quicken the efforts to get Australia back and running again. #coronavirus COVIDSafe app https://www.health.gov.au/...
@troyhunt Troy Hunt on x
By any reasonable measure, #covidsafe is itself, “safe”. Still, that won't stop people chiming in on this thread - on one of the world's largest social media platforms funded by profiling your usage of it and targeting ads at you - from saying it'll erode their privacy. It won't.
@stilgherrian @stilgherrian on x
Fwiw, the Minister's claim that the data can only be used for contact tracing seems to be incorrect. Lawyer please! 1. App privacy policy https://www.health.gov.au/... 2. Ministerial Determination https://www.legislation.gov.au/ ... 3. Biosecurity Act 2015 section 479 http://www6…
@rfscommissioner Shane Fitzsimmons on x
My family and I have just downloaed and activated the #covidsafe app. Lets all continue working together, to limit the spread and help save lives, by getting the App. You can download and activate the covidsafe-app via the Australian Government link below. https://www.health.gov.…
@troyhunt Troy Hunt on x
The negativity I'm seeing is almost entirely based on unsubstantiated speculation and a general distrust of government as opposed to any tangible, impactful evidence. As @mcannonbrookes said, “turn the angry mob mode off” https://twitter.com/...
@dinodaizovi Dino A. Dai Zovi on x
🤘"When Apple refused to budge there was no alternative but to change course, said a senior government source." https://www.reuters.com/...
@floridi Luciano Floridi on x
Both Italy and Germany have changed approach on smartphone contact tracing, backing a better solution by Apple and Google, who may be next? https://uk.reuters.com/...
@fredbenenson @fredbenenson on x
Now this is interesting: Germany, one of the most aggressive defenders of digital privacy, abandoned their homegrown contact tracing app because it was *less* privacy-aware than Apple and Google's solution. The key differentiator? Decentralization. https://www.reuters.com/...
@francesca_bria Francesca Bria on x
The way to go is now clear. Also Germany adopts decentralised smartphone contact tracing. Apple's iPhone would under the proposed setup only work properly with decentralized protocols such as #DP3T, which has been backed by Switzerland, Austria and Estonia https://www.reuters.com…
@toryfibs Tory Fibs on x
Germany joins Austria, Finland & Switzerland in using Apple & Google technology for anonymised contact tracing based on mobile phone technology. This makes perfect sense which means UK will probably not support it. https://www.reuters.com/...
@a_bacci Anna Bacciarelli on x
Reports today that Germany is shelving plans for a surveillance-heavy centralised contact tracing app in favour of a decentralised model. Excellent decision and a necessary first step towards protecting human rights in this delicate and complex process. https://www.reuters.com/..…
@tonyromm Tony Romm on x
i remain convinced we're doing a bad job parsing out the stakes in this battle between privacy and public health, posed by the arrival of contact tracing apps (that dont actually contact trace by design) https://www.reuters.com/...
@omar_quraishi Omar R Quraishi on x
Countries are rushing to develop apps to give a detailed picture of the risk of catching the coronavirus, as the chain of infection is proving hard to break because it can be spread by those showing no symptoms https://www.reuters.com/...
@covidwatchapp @covidwatchapp on x
We are excited to see another step towards privacy-first #COVID19 intervention — Germany becomes the newest to sign on to #decentralized tracing apps! Check out the coverage via @Reuters https://www.reuters.com/...
@ansip_eu Andrus Ansip on x
Germany changed course on Sunday over which type of smartphone technology it wanted to use to trace coronavirus infections, backing an approach supported by Apple and Google along with a growing number of other European countries. https://www.reuters.com/...
@carlbildt Carl Bildt on x
Switzerland, Austria and Estonia seems to be in the lead in Europe to develop a decentralized tracking app that can help us in these COVID19 times. https://www.reuters.com/...
@markhorsleyuk Mark Horsley on x
GERMANY CHANGED COURSE ... on Sunday. It's now “backing a ‘decentralized’ approach to digital contact tracing” Their previous preference was criticised “as opening the way to state surveillance.” Mmm...wonder which type our revered leader - Cummings - will prefer...?!? https://tw…
@jwildeboer @jwildeboer on x
The Palantir/PEPP-PT approach now seems to be a failed, old-school lobby project. This gives me hope. Things ARE changing. https://twitter.com/...
@marcelsalathe Marcel Salath on x
“We will back a decentralized architecture that will only store contacts on devices.” Great move by Germany 🇩🇪👏 https://www.reuters.com/... https://twitter.com/...

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