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Last week, Germany announced that it was pursuing a plan to centrally store data for contact tracing via an app. However, the plan has now been changed.
While Apple and Google want to enable decentralized data storage, Germany wanted to take a different course. The solution of the two companies is not practical and would not be in line with the ideas of the federal government. But now things seem to be looking different. According to a new Reuters report, the federal government has made a 180-degree turn and now wants to support Apple and Google's plan. The report states that report:
An open letter from hundreds of scientists, published last Monday, warned that centralizing contact tracing data would enable 'unprecedented surveillance of society as a whole.' PEPP-PT made several serious errors in communication that ultimately caused serious damage and led to this decision, said Thomas Wiegand, director of Fraunhofer HHI, in a statement to colleagues.
“Ensure a high level of IT security”
In response to pressure related to PEPP-PT, the German government has now decided to adopt a decentralized standard that is in line with Apple and Google's solution. According to a statement quoted by Reuters:
In their joint statement, Braun and Spahn said Germany would now pursue a "highly decentralized" approach. "This app should be voluntary, meet data protection standards, and ensure a high level of IT security. The main goal of epidemiology is to detect and break chains of infection as quickly as possible."
While Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Estonia are in favour of a decentralised solution, France and Great Britain are calling for a centralised approach. Apple itself, together with Google, wants to make the first version of its interface available to official health authorities on Tuesday. Both companies have already made adjustments in the interests of privacy and data protection - read more here. (Photo by galinadvorak / Bigstockphoto)
