COVID Alert

Jul 31st, 2020 2:55 pm

#1

KevCnew [OP]: Sr. Member; Jan 18, 2017; 661 posts; 241 upvotes

Jul 31st, 2020 2:55 pm

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/ ... alert.html

-Open Source
-Uses Bluetooth not GPS
-Does not store or transmit your location or any personal information

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Jul 31st, 2020 3:03 pm

#2

bobcat99: Deal Fanatic; Jul 20, 2006; 9343 posts; 2810 upvotes

Jul 31st, 2020 3:03 pm

So who is going to be downloading it?

Jul 31st, 2020 3:11 pm

#3

Jenny1975: Sr. Member; Sep 26, 2008; 727 posts; 168 upvotes; Ottawa

Jul 31st, 2020 3:11 pm

Perhaps this thread needs a poll

Jul 31st, 2020 3:12 pm

#4

TM2Megatron: Sr. Member; Sep 1, 2013; 794 posts; 270 upvotes; Mississauga

Jul 31st, 2020 3:12 pm

If it helps, I see no reason not to download it. From how I understand it works, nobody's privacy as it stake despite the pearl clutching of a few idiots.

This app is more useful the more people download it, and the greater coverage it has. And you don't even need a data plan to make use of it.

Jul 31st, 2020 3:29 pm

#5

kevindurant1: Deal Fanatic; Apr 8, 2013; 9978 posts; 664 upvotes

Jul 31st, 2020 3:29 pm

bobcat99 wrote: ↑ So who is going to be downloading it?

Everyone should. I already did.

Jul 31st, 2020 3:45 pm

#6

Kiraly: Deal Fanatic; Jan 9, 2011; 8473 posts; 9607 upvotes; Vancouver

Jul 31st, 2020 3:45 pm

It's only active in Ontario for now. Coming soon to the rest of the country. I wonder how many RFDers who will eschew this because of privacy concerns, have the Tim Hortons app that tracks everything they do, so they can get a free doughnut.

So how many RFDers really live in the Greater Toronto Area?

Jul 31st, 2020 3:51 pm

#7

apnayloags: Deal Fanatic; Nov 13, 2010; 6568 posts; 1134 upvotes; Scarborough

Jul 31st, 2020 3:51 pm

I will not be traced by this app. Knowing our govt, who etc i only expect incompetence and nonserious bullshit
Nothing but an eyewash and feelgood measure. Mask wearing is enough

Jul 31st, 2020 4:00 pm

#8

KevCnew [OP]: Sr. Member; Jan 18, 2017; 661 posts; 241 upvotes

Jul 31st, 2020 4:00 pm

apnayloags wrote: ↑ I will not be traced by this app. Knowing our govt, who etc i only expect incompetence and nonserious bullshit
Nothing but an eyewash and feelgood measure. Mask wearing is enough

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

It's open source so feel free to vet the code.

Jul 31st, 2020 4:08 pm

#9

smacd: Deal Fanatic; Oct 6, 2007; 7994 posts; 4410 upvotes; Kootenays

Jul 31st, 2020 4:08 pm

Our family has all downloaded it, even though we're in BC and BC hasn't activated yet. A question has come up, though. If you state your province and someone from another province is near you or you go to another province, I'm assuming it will still work?

Jul 31st, 2020 4:17 pm

#10

kevindurant1: Deal Fanatic; Apr 8, 2013; 9978 posts; 664 upvotes

Jul 31st, 2020 4:17 pm

apnayloags wrote: ↑ I will not be traced by this app. Knowing our govt, who etc i only expect incompetence and nonserious bullshit
Nothing but an eyewash and feelgood measure. Mask wearing is enough

It is open source. Any kind of backdoor will easily be exposed.

And you are already being traced if you have a phone. I dont know why you would be concerned with your privacy if you already own a phone. It is the most unsecured tech we have today.

Jul 31st, 2020 4:29 pm

#11

Jenny1975: Sr. Member; Sep 26, 2008; 727 posts; 168 upvotes; Ottawa

Jul 31st, 2020 4:29 pm

I probably won't be downloading it. I only enable Bluetooth occasionally when connecting to a device at home and don't plan on changing that.

Jul 31st, 2020 4:45 pm

#12

webdoctors: Deal Addict; Jan 22, 2003; 4599 posts; 180 upvotes; Austin/Markham

Jul 31st, 2020 4:45 pm

Definitely will enable it. These simple steps to stop a world war fight are a no brainer. Can always remove when the issue is resolved.

__
demandez-lui si elle dormira avec vous pour un LED keychain

Jul 31st, 2020 4:54 pm

#13

KevCnew [OP]: Sr. Member; Jan 18, 2017; 661 posts; 241 upvotes

Jul 31st, 2020 4:54 pm

Jenny1975 wrote: ↑ I probably won't be downloading it. I only enable Bluetooth occasionally when connecting to a device at home and don't plan on changing that.

I tend to leave BT off but BLE takes very little power these days.

Jul 31st, 2020 5:03 pm

#14

Bargoonster: Newbie; Jul 23, 2020; 14 posts; 8 upvotes

Jul 31st, 2020 5:03 pm

The news networks say the app does not need location data, Bluetooth only, yet...

Health Canada says:
Health Canada | Santé Canada July 31, 2020

"For Android users, location settings must be on for Bluetooth technology to work. However, no location information is stored or transmitted. Google/Apple built in safeguards to ensure government exposure notification apps are unable to infer your location by rotating random IDs assigned to your device so your individual device cannot be tracked."

I would not trust this. We've all heard about how secure apps and websites are only to hear of massive data breaches. They are lying to us.

Bluetooth does not need Location to be turned on.

Jul 31st, 2020 5:16 pm

#15

CNeufeld: Deal Guru; Mar 23, 2008; 10859 posts; 7096 upvotes; Edmonton

Jul 31st, 2020 5:16 pm

KevCnew wrote: ↑ https://github.com/cds-snc/covid-alert-app

It's open source so feel free to vet the code.

To be cynical, you're relying on the code in that repository to be the code that was compiled and released as the app. The only way to ensure that happens is to compile your own version of the code and deploy to your machine, which is likely beyond the skillset of many people.

Having said that, I've already installed the app on my phone (even though I'm in Alberta and won't see any benefits for who knows how long). If we were truly concerned about governments/big business/aliens tracking our movements and/or patterns, that ship sailed long ago, and the only way back is to get rid of all your personal electronics and stick to paying cash for everything.

C