Page 198 - https://downmagaz.net

Holding his phone with the app opened, O

said: “Imagine we’re sitting next to each other

or face to face - we don’t know each other.

Or we pass each other in the metro. Both our

phones will keep a trace of that contact.”

People tested positive to the virus will be

able to send a quick notification in the app to

warn people they were in close contact with,

allowing them to call a doctor and get a test.

Like other countries, France sees the app as

an additional measure to contain the spread

of the coronavirus that comes in addition to

manual contact tracing, which involves

workers interviewing people who test positive

for the virus.

O said the app has been tested for two weeks

and the government is confident that the data

are protected.

“The installation of the app is on a voluntary

basis only: no one can force you to install it.

It’s anonymous: no one has access to the data.

Neither you, nor the state or others,” he insisted.

In addition, the app does not create a list of

infected people and the data is cleared after 14

days, he said.

O also noted the government published the

code of the app so that experts can check it.

The French parliament approved the app after

a sharp debate focusing on privacy protection.

Some opposition lawmakers expressed fears

the app would lead to broader surveillance

from the state. Others shared doubts about its

efficiency if only a small part of the population

accept to use it.

198