Several network political organizations are urging the federal governments to abandon their preferred concept for an app for tracking coronavirus infection chains based on the software framework of the PEPP-PT initiative.
In a resolution passed today the European parliament also called for a decentralized approach to COVID-19 proximity tracking.
Central Data Organization
The low level of data protection of a central approach and the lack of technical restrictions against misuse would lead to undermining trust in such an app and thus easily undermine acceptance for later digital solutions.
The PEPP-PT consortium was not able to quickly deliver a reasonably functioning data protection solution. Technically, mature and data protection based approaches should now be given preference.
The Concept Had Come Under Criticism
However, the PEPP-PT project had come under criticism in the past few days in a heated debate about a suitable data protection concept. Many experts signed an open letter warning of the risk of surveillance and misuse if data were stored centrally. The majority of them support the concept. Because only the availability as open source, complete transparency in the development process and the decentralized nature of the data comparison ensure that data protection is adequately taken into account. Only with this procedure would the quality and acceptance of the app be so high that it would effectively help contain the pandemic can.
A corona tracing app should, if at all, only be built and programmed on the basis of a decentralized approach. The concept pursues such a strategy. Proponents of central storage defended the fact that the data would be pseudonymised, the signing organizations explain. Tracing of infected people is possible with data collection with significantly less effort than with a decentralized approach, if the IDs exchanged with Bluetooth are related to people. Every cornerstone of a possible misuse of health data must be resolutely opposed.
