COVID Alert released in Canada

[SpaceDuckDevourerOfWorlds]

Summary

The Canadian corona-virus tracking app was released last Friday with initial support for Ontario. While the app is available nation wide it is only the notification process is only available in Ontario as of writing this post. 

 

The app uses the Apple-Google model for notification. It works by having your phone send out a random code over Bluetooth which other people with the app who are close by will receive and send theirs codes back to you. So you phone will hold a list of codes you have sent and codes that you have seen. If someone get's diagnosed with COVID they will be given a one time code that allows their app to upload their generated codes to a database. Everyone's apps will pulling the new codes found in the database  and checking to see if it has seen one of the codes before. If a match is found the app will notify with information on what to do next. This is an oversimplification if you would like to learn more I would suggest watching the Computerphile video or to read Apple's white paper on the subject both linked in the sources.

 

The app maintains a users privacy since the only data that is stored are randomly generated codes which are not traceable to a specific user. It also does not tell you who you where contact with but if you were in contact with someone. If you feel unsure about the security and privacy of the app the code for the app is available on GitHub linked in the sources below. 

 

My thoughts

I believe that it is still  useful to download the app even if it is not available yet in you province. Since the app would still be exchanging codes before provincial support. So if you come into contact with someone a few days before your province supports the app you would still get notified if the person get's diagnosed once the province is using the app.

 

Sources

Get the app: 

    Apple: https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/id1520284227

    Android:  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ca.gc.hcsc.canada.stopcovid

CBC article: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/covid-pandemic-app-ontario-1.5670239

Information from the governement: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/covid-alert.html

Apple-Google model:

    Numberphile video: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/covid-alert.html

    Whitepapers: https://covid19-static.cdn-apple.com/applications/covid19/current/static/contact-tracing/

GitHub repos:

    App: https://github.com/cds-snc/covid-alert-app

    Server: https://github.com/cds-snc/covid-alert-server

    Portal: https://github.com/cds-snc/covid-alert-portal

    

 

[dizmo]

IIRC you have to have sustained contact with the person in order for it to trigger an alert if one of them ends up testing positive; 15 minutes is considered sustained.

[TetraSky]

Considering downloading it. But bluetooth is flaky on my device. (using a third party firmware)
So I don't expect it to work. That coupled with my last update dating back last year, I'm not even sure if it would be compatible.

(Not to mention, I haven't been in contact with any stranger for more than a minute or so in the past few months, so... yeah)

 

I'm already seeing a ton of people screaming out about how they are refusing to use the app, that they don't want to give the gov their "location" and other conspiracy shit that makes no sense...

Clearly they have no idea what bluetooth localization is and I have no intention of jumping on that boat to try and educate them.

[svmlegacy]

Very interesting that it's open source. TBH though I question its effectiveness so long as it isn't mandatory for people. (Though it would be impossible to make it mandatory).

[Guest]

Certainly more useful than the New Zealand app (aka a QR reader).

[Kilrah]

Ours has been out for a month or so but since it's built with the Apple/Google framework and I have a phone with sideloaded GMS I can't use it...

[Zodiark1593]

16 minutes ago, svmlegacy said:

Very interesting that it's open source. TBH though I question its effectiveness so long as it isn't mandatory for people. (Though it would be impossible to make it mandatory).

Could be enforced via employers, though this has the implication of leaving out people that do not have/want smartphones. 

[startrek03]

Just now, Zodiark1593 said:

Could be enforced via employers, though this has the implication of leaving out people that do not have/want smartphones. 

I don't know about the canadian app but the German corona app doesn't work on older devices which makes it even more difficult to enforce...

[svmlegacy]

1 minute ago, Zodiark1593 said:

Could be enforced via employers, though this has the implication of leaving out people that do not have/want smartphones. 

The employed aren't the only ones who get sick, and I don't think it's legal for an employer to make demands with what people do in their personal time. So this only really helps for people on the clock.

[BobVonBob]

17 minutes ago, TetraSky said:

Considering downloading it. But bluetooth is flaky on my device. (using a third party firmware)
So I don't expect it to work. That coupled with my last update dating back last year, I'm not even sure if it would be compatible.

(Not to mention, I haven't been in contact with any stranger for more than a minute or so in the past few months, so... yeah)

 

I'm already seeing a ton of people screaming out about how they are refusing to use the app, that they don't want to give the gov their "location" and other conspiracy shit that makes no sense...

Clearly they have no idea what bluetooth localization is and I have no intention of jumping on that boat to try and educate them.

Because people don't understand that this tracks who you're near, not where you are. It's an understandable misunderstanding given the link between the two.

[Zodiark1593]

Just now, startrek03 said:

I don't know about the canadian app but the German corona app doesn't work on older devices which makes it even more difficult to enforce...

I tend to be one of those people that will hold onto a device for a long time (unless I legit don’t like it). Though by a happy coincidence, I upgraded just January. 
 

1 minute ago, svmlegacy said:

The employed aren't the only ones who get sick, and I don't think it's legal for an employer to make demands with what people do in their personal time. So this only really helps for people on the clock.

Pretty much the idea tbh. Not really much else to latch onto without getting borderline authoritarian. I don’t especially relish the idea of requiring people to have up-to-date smartphones (with said tracing app) to go into a grocery store. 

[Beerzerker]

Yep - That's also being implemented here, my wife's phone has it now and she didn't know it until I spotted this and let her know.

She checked her phone and yes - It's there but disabled ATM.

I don't have an iPhone or whatever myself (Flip-phone) but doesn't mean it won't have it in the end.

[startrek03]

1 minute ago, Zodiark1593 said:

I don’t especially relish the idea of requiring people to have up-to-date smartphones (with said tracing app) to go into a grocery store. 

I think it could be fine to require it for certain stuff that's not necessary for life. Especially for things that raise the probability of being infected. However, everyone should be able to "survive" without the app because of aforementioned issues imo.

[Andreas Lilja]

Not available in Quebec yet, but there's a public consultation. 

 

I seriously wonder how much of a battery drain this comes to be. 

[Master Disaster]

There's one huge downside to these types of "track & trace" apps. They only work if everyone runs the app otherwise all you are doing is handing the government your daily movements on a silver platter.

[Mihle]

Better than the Norwegian one that Norwegian Data Protection Authority forced to stop colletion of data and delete all that already is collected, because the app collected GPS and Bluetooth data and sent it to a central server.

[Ashley MLP Fangirl]

such an app isn't available in my country yet, but if it gets released here i will download it. i am interested to see how running an app like this affects battery life though... 

[Drama Lama]

13 hours ago, RorzNZ said:

Certainly more useful than the New Zealand app (aka a QR reader).

The Austrian App didn’t allow you to play music over Bluetooth 

I don’t know if that has changed

[Drama Lama]

13 hours ago, startrek03 said:

I don't know about the canadian app but the German corona app doesn't work on older devices which makes it even more difficult to enforce...

I know only IPhone 6s or newer 

 

at least you can use Bluetooth for music 

4 minutes ago, Drama Lama said:

The Austrian App didn’t allow you to play music over Bluetooth 

I don’t know if that has changed

 

[dalekphalm]

On 8/3/2020 at 3:13 AM, Master Disaster said:

There's one huge downside to these types of "track & trace" apps. They only work if everyone runs the app otherwise all you are doing is handing the government your daily movements on a silver platter.

How exactly are you handing the government your daily movements?

 

Please explain. 
 

I get the whole “be Paranoid of your government” thing but the only thing this app does is check for nearby codes via Bluetooth. 
 

It does not send any location data back to the government. Therefore they cannot location track you. 
 

I installed it on Friday to test it out - so far, no noticeable battery drain (I keep Bluetooth running anyways due to car, among others peripherals). 

[Master Disaster]

15 minutes ago, dalekphalm said:

How exactly are you handing the government your daily movements?

 

Please explain. 
 

I get the whole “be Paranoid of your government” thing but the only thing this app does is check for nearby codes via Bluetooth. 
 

It does not send any location data back to the government. Therefore they cannot location track you. 
 

I installed it on Friday to test it out - so far, no noticeable battery drain (I keep Bluetooth running anyways due to car, among others peripherals). 

Call me sceptical if you like, I don't buy it. Yes I've seen the Google white paper on how the tech works but here's the thing, there's no telling what the developers of the app did to it since the Bluetooth tech is open source but the actual apps are not.

 

Maybe in Canada it's not so bad but here in the UK (and in the US too) I cannot see the respective governments passing up on the chance to harvest as much data as they possibly can from this and it's not like your phone isn't already tracking your position plus location data is actually pretty important to help them when identifying hotspots. The entire principle of "track & trace" is only so effective if they cannot see where infections are happening. Bo Jo the Clown has been very open with us about how he plans to proceed, any areas that are identified as Virus Hotspots will be placed back on lockdown as an when its required, only this past weekend they shut down Liverpool city centre because they identified an outbreak hotspot.

 

Also let me be very clear, I actually don't think its a bad thing if they do track peoples movements, in principle at least. Its how they handle that data after its served its purpose that worries me.

[dalekphalm]

1 hour ago, Master Disaster said:

Call me sceptical if you like, I don't buy it. Yes I've seen the Google white paper on how the tech works but here's the thing, there's no telling what the developers of the app did to it since the Bluetooth tech is open source but the actual apps are not.

True the App might not be, but I'm running iOS, and I can check what permissions the App has. The App can only access Bluetooth. It DOES NOT have access to location services. It doesn't even try to access location services.

 

Unless you're going to argue that the app hacks iOS to bypass app permissions (or that Apple is somehow in league with them to allow this bypass).

1 hour ago, Master Disaster said:

Maybe in Canada it's not so bad but here in the UK (and in the US too) I cannot see the respective governments passing up on the chance to harvest as much data as they possibly can from this and it's not like your phone isn't already tracking your position plus location data is actually pretty important to help them when identifying hotspots.

As said, the App doesn't use location services, period. All it does is exchange random codes via Bluetooth with a timestamp with anyone else running the app. If someone with the app tests positive, they enter that into the app, and it checks the database to see if any other codes were within proximity for longer than 15 minutes, and alerts that code.

 

The app has no idea where you were when that happened.

1 hour ago, Master Disaster said:

The entire principle of "track & trace" is only so effective if they cannot see where infections are happening.

This is true - which is why this app will never be 100% effective, nor was it designed to be. It would be a violation of Canadian rights (including the constitution) for them to track every citizen like that.

1 hour ago, Master Disaster said:

Bo Jo the Clown has been very open with us about how he plans to proceed, any areas that are identified as Virus Hotspots will be placed back on lockdown as an when its required, only this past weekend they shut down Liverpool city centre because they identified an outbreak hotspot.

I cannot respond to this without violating the politics rule - let's just say that I'm happy that my government isn't the UK government right now.

1 hour ago, Master Disaster said:

Also let me be very clear, I actually don't think its a bad thing if they do track peoples movements, in principle at least. Its how they handle that data after its served its purpose that worries me.

Fair enough, but the Covid Alert app from Canada does not track your movements. If anyone has any evidence to the contrary, please do post it. It would be a massive news story and an extremely large controversy if it was true, but given that there's zero evidence for it, it's just baseless speculation at this moment.