Comparative Study of Contact Tracing Application Across the World

We studied contact tracing applications developed by 9 countries on certain parameters. All these applications have been launched and developed by their respective state entities except for Norway whose application has been developed in public private collaboration.

S. No. Application Launched By Developer Nature Centralised/ Decentralised Compatible Hardware Source Code Sunset Clause Data Retention Period Data Collection Revocation of Consent to Collect Data Functionality Bluetooth/ GPS
1.

TraceTogether

Singapore

Singapore Government Digital Services

Voluntary

Centralised

Android & iOS

Open

Users will be prompted to disable its functionality or uninstall it when contact tracing ceases. However, no specific sunset data has been provided.

21 days (in case the user has not come in contact with a COVID-19 case)

Mobile Number and a random anonymised user ID. However, anonymised data is collected about user’s device and app for improving the user experience. It does not collect user’s location data.

Allows revocation of consent. Data collected is then deleted from the government server.

COVID-19 Contact Tracing

Bluetooth

2.

Stopp Corona

Austria

Austrian Red Cross

Voluntary

Decentralised

Android & iOS

Open

End of pandemic.

i. Metadata: 14 days

ii. Data of suspected cases:30 days

iii. Data on device for digital handshake with intensive contacts: 7 days

No personal data collected unless tested positive

Un-installation or withdrawal shall amount to withdrawal of consent. Allows for partial withdrawal by deactivating the automatic “digital handshake”.

Medical reporting, COVID-19 contact tracing

Bluetooth

3.

Aarogya Setu

India

NIC eGov Mobile App

Voluntary (best effort basis)

Centralised

Android & iOS

Closed

-

i. If user has not come in contact with any COVID-19 positive user: 30 days

ii. If user has come in contact with any COVID-19 positive user: 45 days;

iii. If tested positive for COVID-19: 60 days after such person has been declared cured of COVID-19.

User’s location details, age, name, sex, phone number, profession, and travel history of last 30 days.

Does not provide the option of withdrawing consent for data collection. Instead, it provides that a registered user may remove registration information supplied. At one place, privacy policy states that all personal information collected at time of registration will be retained as long as user’s account remains in existence and for such period thereafter. However, there is no provision for account deletion.

Medical reporting, COVID-19 contact tracing, Telemedicine consultations

Bluetooth & GPS

4.

CovidSafe

Australia

Australian Department of Health

Voluntary

Decentralised

Android and iOS

Open

End of Pandemic

21 days;

The data, however, is stored on Amazon Web Services servers.

Name, mobile number, postcode, age range.

On un-installation, all COVIDSafe app information will be deleted from phone. However, information stored in the secure information storage system will be destroyed at the end of pandemic. The users are also given an option to delete their information from the storage system before the end of pandemic.

COVID-19 contact tracing

Bluetooth

5.

CoronApp

Colombia

National Institute of Health

Voluntary (users installing CoronApp will get access to free internet)

C entralised

Android and iOS

Open, however,

code not published yet.

-

-

Collects public, semi-private, private, and sensitive data from users; information sought at the time of registration includes name, sex, date of birth, ethnicity, and email.

-

Medical reporting, COVID-19 contact tracing

Bluetooth & GPS

6.

Hamagen (‘The Shield’)

Israel

Ministry of Health

Voluntary

Decentralised

Android and iOS

Open

-

-

Location (on user’s device) and it is cross-referenced with the Ministry of Health’s epidemiological data.

Not available as information is stored in user’s device.

COVID-19 contact tracing

GPS

7.

Smittestopp

Norway

Public-Private, The National Institute of Public Health and Simula

Voluntary

C entralised

Android and iOS

Closed

December 1, 2020.

30 days

Mobile number, age, GPS location, operating system, mobile operator, version number, phone model, Bluetooth data.

Allows user to delete its personal information any time. The function for this has been provided in the App. Such information will be deleted both centrally and from the device.

COVID-19 contact tracing, route tracking

Bluetooth & GPS

8.

eRouska (‘eFacemask’)

Czech Republic

Ministry of Health

Voluntary

Decentralised

Android.

Open

-

30 days.

If user agrees to send data from phone to server, it will retained for 12 hours. Mobile number, however, is stored for 6 months or as ascertained by the Ministry of Health.

Does not track or collect information about location. Information is stored in user’s device. However, it requires a phone number for registration

Allows user to delete its data anytime from its device as well as the server of hygienists. The phone number can also be deleted. However, the ID number assigned to the user is recorded.

COVID-19 contact tracing

Bluetooth

9

StopKorona!

North Macedonia

Ministry of Information Society and Administration Social

Voluntary

Decentralised

Android & iOS.

Closed

-

14 days

Mobile number, unique random code

-

COVID-19 contact tracing

Bluetooth