Israel Takes Step Toward Monitoring Phones of Virus Patients (go.com) 20
Israel has long been known for its use of technology to track the movements of Palestinian militants. Now, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to use similar technology to stop the movement of the coronavirus. From a report: Netanyahu's Cabinet on Sunday authorized the Shin Bet security agency to use its phone-snooping tactics on coronavirus patients, an official confirmed, despite concerns from civil-liberties advocates that the practice would raise serious privacy issues. The official spoke on condition of anonymity pending an official announcement. Netanyahu announced his plan in a televised address late Saturday, telling the nation that the drastic steps would protect the public's health, though it would also "entail a certain degree of violation of privacy." Israel has identified more than 200 cases of the coronavirus. Based on interviews with these patients about their movements, health officials have put out public advisories ordering tens of thousands of people who may have come into contact with them into protective home quarantine. The new plan would use mobile-phone tracking technology to give a far more precise history of an infected person's movements before they were diagnosed and identify people who might have been exposed.
Sounds good to me (Score:1)
If you test positive, they have a right to tag you. Can anybody think of a better way?
Re: (Score:2)
"If you test positive, they have a right to tag you. Can anybody think of a better way?"
You mean people have to leave their phone at home to go for a walk or a drink?
Ask consent? (Score:2)
Can anybody think of a better way?
Ask consent? If you test positive, ask you to sign a form formally authorizing the phone company to build a track of your past movement during the past 14 days of incubation.
And have the people voluntary tell the cell phone providers they want to be alerted if their movement interescted those of a (consenting) tracked positive mentionned above.
Re: (Score:1)
If you know about the machine, yellow reticule (Score:2, Insightful)
What color will be used to track Covid-19 positive people?
We all should (Score:1)
There was a story some time ago on Slashdot about how a company was using phone location data to track movement around the border.
Well if we are shutting down everything over this, I see no reason why the government should not use location data for every single phone to track anyone we know has Covid19, and anyone who was in close proximity to check on them as well.
That would be I think a really effective effort at tracking where the virus was really spreading, more effective than just waiting for people to
Re: (Score:3)
There was a story some time ago on Slashdot about how a company was using phone location data to track movement around the border.
Well if we are shutting down everything over this, I see no reason why the government should not use location data for every single phone to track anyone we know has Covid19, and anyone who was in close proximity to check on them as well.
That would be I think a really effective effort at tracking where the virus was really spreading, more effective than just waiting for people to decide they should be tested.
Usually when I take a nice long walk, I leave my phone at home, so I'm not disturbed by spam calls, or texts telling me about what is closed due to the latest pandemic.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Their use of maps, tracking, looking back over the history of people infected with wuflu.
Closing down travel early.
Then testing everyone who could be found who had contact.
Not waiting for the WHO.
Not been like the failed EU nations and Italy.
Other nations also used smartphone tracking.
The idea was to get people who had wuflu and had contact with wuflu out of the community as quickly as possible.
Not wondering around the community anymore and they
Solidarity with Palestinians! (Score:2, Insightful)
Google you can't access the Gestop Constructor (Score:1)
Let politicians give the good example (Score:3, Insightful)
Sensible enough. (Score:1)
Israel is too small to afford mass casualties and is at permanent internal and external war. Leadership are obliged to defend the nation by any potentially effective means. This is no time for sentiment, political or other.
anonymize the data (Score:2)
Otherwise, may I suggest a starfish as a little indicator on your maps? Think the friend of SpongeBob...
Here we go ... (Score:1)
Let's see what other totalitarian fascists of the world will crawl out from under rocks and smell a chance to subdue the population in the next few weeks ...
ok... (Score:1)
Am I the only one? (Score:2)
Do you know why I take my mobile out with me? In case my car breaks down, or I have a traffic accident, on long journeys, or when I'm required to be available for work.
Do you know when I don't take my mobile out with me? The rest of the time...
Phone Tracking Analyst: "Yup, he hasn't moved from his home in 3 days."
Me: Went walking in the Gower; Skated to Mumbles and back; Visited the public library; Had a couple of beers in town with friends; Did my weekly shop; Fed the squirrels in the park; etc.
Israel imitates the success of Singapore (Score:2)