Government presents seven corona apps, but still many concerns

Floor Terra of the Privacy Company has doubts about the state of affairs. The intention is that this weekend a number of apps will be selected that have a chance to be used. “But we still don’t know enough about the apps to be able to assess that,” said the privacy advisor. “You need more technical information for this, as well as an evaluation of the impact on privacy.”

“We have very strict requirements and we will not make any concessions,” says Ron Roozendaal of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. “So if tomorrow it turns out that apps are not good enough in parts, then it is simply not good enough and we need even more time.”

The ministry promised on Saturday afternoon that more technical information will be available “as soon as possible”. “But it should have happened just because it all has to be done so quickly,” said Terra.

All app makers promise that privacy is of paramount importance to them. “But we also saw proposals in the preselection where app makers promised to protect privacy, while a few moments later said things that directly went against it,” said one person.

Enough people

Apart from privacy and security, there is also something to criticize about the quality of the apps, says app developer Jelle Prins, who, among other things, designed the first app from Uber. “What I’m curious about is how the makers of an app ensure that it reaches enough people.”

It is not only important that people want to use the app, but that they can also. “So you also have to ensure that the apps work on old phones and that older people with poor visibility can also use the apps.”

According to Prins, the sketches shown by the developers do not indicate this. “I saw a lot of apps with poorly readable text, says Prins. It is important that the more than 1.3 million Dutch people with visual impairments are also reached.” The government wants 60 percent to use the app. If a large part already quits because the app is not usable for them, that becomes a lot more difficult. “

Prerequisite

In the coming week it should become more clear about which apps have a chance of actually being used. On Sunday, the developers will have the opportunity to further explain their apps.

There is still some homework for the app builders, Minister De Jonge of Health said after the first day of the digital event. For example, not all app makers have yet made the underlying programming code public. “That is really an important condition.” Everyone should be able to check how the apps work, the idea is.

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