New York AG Asks Google and Apple To Vet Third-Party COVID-19 Contact Tracing Apps

Both Apple and Google are having a hard time regulating all the third-party COVID-19 contact tracing apps that popped up on their app stores recently, as people begin to venture out of their homes. From a report: As The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this month, some of those applications aren't transparent in what they're doing with your data. Now, New York Attorney General Letitia James is urging the tech giants to ensure that those applications aren't capable of collecting sensitive personal health information, to minimize any invasive data collection and to guarantee that they truly delete consumer information. James said in a statement: As businesses open back up and Americans venture outdoors, technology can be an invaluable tool in helping us battle the coronavirus... But some companies may seek to take advantage of consumers and use personal information to advertise, mine data, and unethically profit off this pandemic. Both Apple and Google can be invaluable partners in weeding out these bad actors and ensuring consumers are not taken advantage of by those seeking to capitalize on the fear around this public health crisis."

Why would anyone use these apps?

[ddtmm]

For the life of me I can't understand why someone would download and use some unknown 3rd party COVID app. I'm hesitant as it is to consider one from Apple or Google, but some other unknown company?? I just don't get it. But that's me...

Never done tech support?

[raymorris]

I guess you've never do tech support of any kind?

What we learn in the "tech support" phase of our careers is this big lesson:

People are stupid.

Really stupid.

If you doubt that at all, spend 10 minutes reading Twitter.

Uhm, Letitia?

[Voyager529]

Uhm...so how is that going to go, exactly?

Letitia: "Tim, Sundar, can you take a look at these 30 third-party Covid tracing apps and tell me if they're kosher?"
*Dutifully read through all of the source code*
Tim: "Yep, looks good."
Sundar: "The epitome of privacy!"
Letitia: "Fantastic! Everyone, use a Covid tracing app!"
*App 31 is released*
Letitia: "Tim? Sundar?"
*calls go to voicemail*
-----------

Letitia: "Tim, Sundar, can you take a look at these 30 third-party Covid tracing apps and tell me if they're kosher?"

Re:

[lessSockMorePuppet]

That's what you get when you have a predatory software industry focused on profit over stability and user concerns.

We don't trust you. If you need trust, tough titties. People would literally rather die than trust you.

Re:

[infolation]

TL;DR

Listen up, hen-house dwellers. Say hello to your new Privacy QA Overload 'Mr Fox' !!!

Toothless Attonery General

[oh_my_080980980]

"As such, she’s asking the companies to commit to greater oversight by allowing only apps affiliated with federal or state public health agencies to collect personal health information, such as COVID—19 test results. She also wants them to prohibit third-party contact tracing apps from using consumer data for targeted advertising and for identifying anonymous users. James wants them to require third-party contact tracing apps to delete consumer information on a rolling, 14-day basis, as well." https://www.engadget.com/ny-at... [engadget.com]

And after the request, she asked if they wanted cream and sugar with their coffee.

Here's a thought, you could REQUIRE them to do that. But I guess that never occurred to her that government could do that. Fucking useless AG.

Re:

[sysrammer]

Here's a thought, you could REQUIRE them to do that. But I guess that never occurred to her that government could do that. Fucking useless AG.

That would require a regulation.

Trust

[MrKaos]

Considering the amount of "Surprise, the data you trusted us with has been misused" stories we have seen the only people that should trust these apps are the ones who are dumb enough to fall for it.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice and erh um you can't fool me again.

In Other News

[LeeLynx]

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today announced his intention to bring on Daryl Gates as an advisor in the ongoing process of drafting and perfecting policies to address the ongoing issues surrounding policing and race. Given his past experience, Becerra explained, Gates "could be an invaluable partner in weeding out those bad actors and ensuring citizens are not victimized by those seeking to abuse their authority as law enforcement officers." Upon being alerted to Mr. Gates' 2010 passing by a m