Blog

Spread Of COVID-19 Data Available From Google And Apple

Apr 21, 2020 | Blog

Big tech firms are lining up to help us get a better handle on the data concerning this pandemic. Data includes who has Covid-19 and how fast and far the virus is spreading around the country (and around the world).

Recently, tech giants Apple and Google announced a partnership that will focus on the use of Bluetooth technology to help identify potential coronavirus hotspots based on smartphone location data.

As you might imagine, those two companies have a lot of data they can work with. By pooling their resources, the hope is that they can paint a very complete picture.

A joint statement put out by the two companies reads, in part, as follows:

Since COVID-19 can be transmitted through close proximity to affected individuals, public health officials have identified contact tracing as a valuable tool to help contain its spread. All of us at Apple and Google believe there has never been a more important moment to work together to solve one of the world’s most pressing problems. Through close cooperation and collaboration with developers, governments and public health providers, we hope to harness the power of technology to help countries around the world slow the spread of COVID-19 and accelerate the return of everyday life.”

It sounds tremendously promising, but not everyone is as enthusiastic as the two companies are. A spokesperson for the ACLU questions whether the accuracy of a smartphone’s geolocation data could improve the current tracking methodologies health organizations already have access to. If they could improve, they question whether or not the information gained is worth the rather large hit to individual privacy that comes with it.

Those are fair questions, to be sure. Kudos to Apple and Google for stepping up and proposing to do something. While it may be imperfect, and even problematic, it is good to see forward thinking people attempting to come to grips with a very real problem for us all. That’s how society progresses.

FBI Program Tasked with Infrastructure Security Compromised

FBI Program Tasked with Infrastructure Security Compromised

The FBI program tasked with ensuring critical infrastructure security has been compromised by hackers, who now offer access to the program's data on the dark web. The breach was initially disclosed by Brian Krebs of Krebs on Security, who claims that the data was for...

Streamline Your Business with the Latest Smart Home Technology

Streamline Your Business with the Latest Smart Home Technology

Are you a business owner looking to get the most out of your Google smart home devices? If so, you're in luck! Google has enabled its Nest products and Android OS with the initial rollout of the Matter smart home standard. This means that businesses now have the...

Data Breach at Sequoia One Exposes Sensitive Customer Information

Data Breach at Sequoia One Exposes Sensitive Customer Information

What do you do when your most personal information has been compromised? This is likely the question that customers of Sequoia One asked themselves earlier this month as they were informed that the company had been hacked. Sequoia One specializes in the management of...

Cisco Reports Critical IP Phone Vulnerability

Cisco Reports Critical IP Phone Vulnerability

As a business owner, it's important to stay informed about potential vulnerabilities that could impact your organization. Recently, Cisco reported a critical vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2022-20968, affecting its IP Phone 7800 and 8800 Series. This new vulnerability...

Google Chrome Releases Two New Features

Google Chrome Releases Two New Features

Google Chrome is one of the more commonly used web browsers. Over the years, though, Chrome has gained a reputation for utilizing a large portion of a computer's memory. This can be a problem if you're running other resource-intensive tasks and don't want to slow...

Get a Free Consultation

 

Fill out the form below to receive a free consultation and learn how we can make your technology worry-free!

 

Contact Information

  • 39301 Badger Street, Suite 500
    Palm Desert, CA 9221
  • (760) 333-8523
  • info@icn.tech