Japan's virus contact-tracing app gets 2.7 mil downloads in 3 days

I wouldn't bet on this working. How to turn a smartphone into a GPS anklet. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

So, what's the name of the app?

Wouldn't it help the cause if you provide the name of the app here?

I wouldn't bet on it being a GPS ankle - do your reasearch. Google/Apple Engine. You can turn your Location Servi off - This just uses Bluetooth. You can't be tracked by a MAC number. Anyway, what are you hiding?

Suggest the paranoid just don't contriubute to this topic and don't download it. Then they won't have to waste time on here complaining about it.

It's odd that they never name the app in these articles. It's called COVID-19 Contact App put out by the MHLW.

Instructions are in English and easy to follow.

BTW, if you have Location Services turned "on" on your phone, you are already tracked (or trackable). Just not for COVID-19, but your phone knows and shows.

what is the use of this app? There’s no follow-up.

what is the point of knowing that you are exposed when you wouldn’t be able to access testing?

“The government hopes it will encourage more people suspecting they may be infected with the virus to go to hospitals or take polymerase chain reaction tests to contain its spread.“

If they really wanted to do this then they would be updating the testing criteria.

It's a step in the right direction but it won't work efficiently unless everyone has the app.

Australia launched a similar app a while back but the majority of the population didn't download it making it pretty much pointless.

I think the government should just make the call on whether to enforce it on everyone or not for the safety of the public health.

I know there are concerns for privacy however. But then again... have you checked your privacy policy with Google and Facebook app lately?

@blahblah222 Basically it generates a random ID when you install it and then remembers all the other users' ID you have been close by. And when any of the users test positive they can enter that they are positive and it will then alert those IDs who have been closed to that ID.

The app name is called COCOA COvid COntact App

The way how the app hides your privacy is sound, if you're still that paranoid then probably stop using your smart phone and stay off the internet cause there are worse violators of privacy out there.

It is pretty much the same as wearing masks, effectiveness becomes better only when the mass majority does it.

@blahblah222 oh and the testing process and criteria

https://stopcovid19.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/en/flow

I don't know what you mean by access to testing, but if you are fine then what's the point of testing?

As far as I've understood though, the app doesn't work on older smartphone models. Therefore I, for one, am also secluded, as I would suspect quite a significant portion of Japan's population is - especially the elderly.

@Kag

oh and the testing process and criteria

https://stopcovid19.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/en/flow

I don't know what you mean by access to testing, but if you are fine then what's the point of testing?

That's the process & criteria on paper, yes. If the situation still is at all like it was in April-May though, the likelihood of getting tested even with severe symptoms is close to 0.

The more we would test, the more we would know how far the virus has spread, and is spreading, hopefully causing some change in attitudes and behaviour. Even if you're well, but know you have the virus (remember, you can have it asymptomatically), you would then be more cautious and try to avoid passing it on to others.

Since if my info gets leaked someone will just make someone else bow and mutter something...no thanks

Putting the cart before the horse.

With the super few number of testing taking place, the app is useless.

It amazes me how the importance of testing continues to be downplayed by the so called experts and mainstream media.

Police departments in the U.S. used Facebook to track BLM demonstrators, will the Japanese police use this App to track infected people and pull them out of their homes? we will wait and see.

More and more NECK COLLARS.

Everyone jump on the bandwagon! I do not see how this virus tracking app can treat cronoa virus....not preventing you from catching it either when Japan is so condense that you have to play dodge ball with eachother when walking in the streets or during a commute zig zagging accross as you walk to avoid getting bumped into someone. Rather than focusing on a tracker app they should be spending that time on trying to fine a cure to this chinese virus in my honest humble opinion.

I do not see how this virus tracking app can treat corona virus...

The information is out there. It's up to you on whether you want to go and get it, and educate yourself, or not even look for it, and remain ignorant, but willfully so.

Rather than focusing on a tracker app they should be spending that time on trying to fine a cure to this Chinese virus in my honest humble opinion.

There are two ways to deal with the America virus:

1) Short term - minimize the impact of it until a vaccine is found

2) Long term - create a vaccine and vaccinate the people against the America virus

Why would you abandon number 1? It makes zero logical sense. Until a vaccine is found, the virus is out there, and minimizing it's impact, which the app enables, only makes sense. Abandoning that makes no sense. It's not like app developers are being used to make an app when their talents could be used to create a vaccine - these skils unfortunately are not even remotely interchangeable.

It's baffling that one would think we should just scrap trying to manage the America virus until a vaccine is found.

what is the use of this app? There’s no follow-up.

> what is the point of knowing that you are exposed when you wouldn’t be able to access testing?

> “The government hopes it will encourage more people suspecting they may be infected with the virus to go to hospitals or take polymerase chain reaction tests to contain its spread.“

> If they really wanted to do this then they would be updating the testing criteria.

excellent points

Putting the cart before the horse.

> With the super few number of testing taking place, the app is useless.

> It amazes me how the importance of testing continues to be downplayed by the so called experts and mainstream media.

EXACTLY!

2.7 million downloads in 3 days

The Government now know where 2.7 million people are now.