The seven companies and organizations that have entered the pre-selection of a corona app presented their ideas to the public on Sunday for the second day. Here you can read the most important improvements so far, criticism of the apps, and: what next?
During this 48-hour so-called appathon, the apps will be tested, improved on the basis of feedback and independent experts in the fields of human rights, privacy and security will be able to ask questions. The race concludes with the final presentations of all parties, in which they show how they have processed the feedback so far.
The seven apps in short
- Covid19 Alert (Wouter van Hecke and Sander de Vries): tracing and warning users by means of bluetooth.
- Untitled app (DTACT and Digi.me): self-reporting and tracking. Checking in and out at buildings with QR code.
- Smart Quaratine (Capgemini): tracing via bluetooth to support GGD in determining the number of infections.
- Stopp Corona App (Accenture): users report that they have been around each other by means of a ‘digital handshake’ and receive a warning when they are infected.
- ITO (number of German parties): registers app users via bluetooth, infected user can warn others. App makes probability calculation for contamination.
- WelzijNL (DEUS): track through bluetooth and warn other users by adjusting status.
- Together under Control App (Sia Partners): tracing via bluetooth and warning. Also analyze trends to support government measures.
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Processing feedback: a race against time
On Saturday, the various apps were subjected to criticism on, among other things, the usability, security and privacy. The app builders then faced a tough task: to pass as many points as possible in the night from Saturday to Sunday. A selection of the adjustments that occurred with multiple apps:
- Accessibility: multilingualism, user-friendliness improved for people with disabilities.
- Privacy: privacy statements tightened, the possibility not to enter either a made-up 06 number, save data only on the smartphone of the user, the user chooses whether and how a push notification appears.
- Safety: prevent false reports by means of a verification via a TAN code, contamination must be determined by a doctor.
Other criticisms: algorithms, bluetooth and … the appathon itself
Not all criticisms were discussed during the appathon. Other comments include Bluetooth: that technique may not be accurate enough and its effectiveness has never been proven. There is also fear of the possible use of self-learning algorithms: this would entail too much control of data.
The vast majority of criticism focuses on the process of the appathon itself. Rushed, chaotic and non-transparent, according to various experts. The occasionally Safe Against Corona coalition (including privacy organization Bits of Freedom) called on the ministry on Friday to return to the drawing board: the coalition therefore distances itself from the seven elected parties.
Wouter van Hecke, one of the initiators of the Covid19 Alert app, informs NU.nl that this time pressure leads to unnecessary errors. The app received a lot of attention on Sunday because of a data breach. “When we released the source code for our app, files from another app were accidentally shared that have nothing to do with it. It was a human error due to the great haste involved.”
Experts also say that they cannot paint a complete picture due to information and time pressure still missing: there is still plenty of work to be done.
What now?
It is not yet certain whether an app will be chosen at all from this selection. Experts argue that there are still many questions about vulnerabilities, among other things. Another possibility is that one or more apps are chosen. In any case, the Dutch Data Protection Authority will announce on Monday whether the apps comply with privacy legislation. An extensive report on the source codes will also follow.
Minister Hugo de Jonge (Health, Welfare and Sport) will announce on Tuesday whether the cabinet will use an app. Then it will also be known how long it takes before the app is offered. One thing is certain: the use of the app is not mandatory.
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