NHS Covid-19 app won't work unless I update Google Play Services

The NHS Covid-19 tracing app is an open-source product and the code is available to view on GitHub. Exodus reports that it has no trackers. I would suggest that before proclaiming it to be spyware, anyone with concerns has a look at the code and then reports back here any legitimate concerns which remain.

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Indeed, I’m open for good arguments. If it is evil, I’d like to know. But there seem to be none. Yes there is a flaw you could leave breadcrums, but thats the same as someone following you. On Android Google already knows where you are, same as the people you encounter. So if they want they already have this information. On /e/ maybe they won’t, but that usergroup is relatively small (for now😃)

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Yes, on an iPhone or unmodified Android (with logged in account,) Apple & Google already know everything they could determine from this app except, possibly, your Bluetooth MAC address. On an /e/ phone this is possibly the only thing they’ll know about you. Obviously for some people this would be a step too far, which is fine. But please lay off the FUD. There’s too much of that in the world already.

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Please good shepherd, read the code then explain the problem, in precise terms, to us poor sheep.
Oh, one more thing. If you want to win people round to your point of view, insulting them is rarely a successful strategy.

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Who am I insulting?? Sheep? Not a valid proof.
No factual rebuttal, just press the red button.
I’ll give you a scientific fact, you can’t insult someone who is not identifying with your insult. Simply put, when I say triggered sheep and you are offended, means you identify as one and give yourself away by your reaction. This is a fact and logic in psychology.
Ehh we are so civilised aren’t we.
And good natured.
And logical.
And fair.
Yes we can!

Your post is filled with assertions but no evidence to support them. You’ve addressed none of the points put to you. You show no sense of understanding what the word irony means. You continue to expel insults. I suspect I am not the only person here to notice all of this. Personally, I’m done with you. You waste my time and my energy. I suggest you spend some time in the world and come back here when you’ve grown up somewhat. Good bye.

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It is not me who is hiding your posts nor will I be hiding any in future. I don’t know who it is but it clearly shows your antics are not welcome. That is my final word to you though I’m sure you’ll need the last one. Go on, enjoy yourself.

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» How to install unreleased version of MicroG GmsCore

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Irritatingly Intertrust makes you fill out a form to get access to the report.

and the SERCO story in Russia Today has this to say.

Editor’s Note: We are retracting this story, as it did not meet our editorial standards. While Serco is heavily involved in the Test and Trace program in the UK, it did not develop or implement the NHS test and trace app, as is stated in the article. We thank Serco for bringing this to our attention, and apologize to our audience.

edit: Scanned through the report and it reads like a press-release. It has no data to back up claims.
edit 2: This is general when it comes to sharing information to back up claims. Check your sources; read their “reports” and check for raw or minimally processed data, check the company and their intended audience.

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I’ve said it before but clearly not everyone reads the whole thread before they post. The UK app is open source and the code is available on GitHub. If anyone has concerns about what this app is doing, please read the code and then report back here if any concerns remain with a detailed explanation of why. Unsubstantiated claims of spying do nobody any favours.

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What’s the point of this question?
Apparently people want to install Apps by the large data collectors or any other tracker-infested Apps, too, if they choose so. And microG included in /e/ gives them that choice, compatibility of microG with the respective App of choice allowing.
/e/ deliberately provides this choice to its users, like it or not. And /e/ would get exactly nowhere denying this choice … death by App gap.

Now microG can additionally emulate the groundwork for COVID-19 Apps, along with the other Google services it can emulate. Big deal (notice the irony tags).
It’s still your choice to install an App which uses this, or not.

There are corona Apps out there data privacy and security experts found to be ok in connection with the API.
If you’ve got issues with a corona App, take that up with the App in question. There’s a difference between an App and the API an App may use.

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Those links are nothing to do with the app. They are about the “pen & paper” contract tracing system. As for the rest, it’s a bunch of misdirection and emotional claptrap. You clearly didn’t look at the code or you would have pointed to lines in the source files which are of concern.

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Oh, it seems you are another Leifrod. Completely impervious to logic and reason. My interaction with you on this subject ends here.

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All please get back on the topic …No personal attacks or political statements on this forum.

BTW the update is we expect to implement the Covid detection framework in microG by end of Oct in the /e/ OS. It will be disabled by default and does not work by itself …needs installation of applications specific to your country.

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Sorry if I ask, but how does this solution differ from just integrating updated microG which could have been done (and was originally planned and promised) in the last update?
It was said that /e/ would come up with a much more sophisticated solution.

That is what the team is working on and causing this delay. I can share details once I have it and also once we test it works.

I said I wouldn’t engage with you again on this subject but it seems a clarification is in order. I posted something which breached community standards. I received an email from the moderation team alerting me to this fact. As I felt some regret for this, I removed the offending section of the post. I have not reported you for any reason, nor will I. I have no idea who did, but the fact that somebody did might give you cause to reconsider your attitude. My IQ is unknown to you but if you wish to infer it from anything I posted, please go ahead. I hope you are more considerate of available evidence than you are in respect of the discussion on the nature of Covid-19 phone apps. I shall ignore you now.

OK, but just implementing updated microG would do exactly this.

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Hello @Manoj, thank you for update! Just to double check, will the microG, which includes the tracing API, be default part of /e/ operating system? I guess not because that would beat the principle of deGoogled phone, but I rather ask. :slight_smile:
And will there be then a microG without the API also available? Not that I would need it. I’m just nosy. :wink:

We will be publishing an explanation on the way microG works and how the covid framework is implemented …the explanation comes from none other than the man who created it - Marvin Wißfeld. It should be published early next week.

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