Apple and Google Ban Location Tracking in Apps Using Contact Tracing GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO News > Internet & Security

Apple and Google Ban Location Tracking in Apps Using Contact Tracing

Privacy is their driving principle

By Rob LeFebvre Rob LeFebvre Associate Editorial Director, News UCLA California State University, Northridge Rob LeFebvre is the Associate Editorial Director, News for Lifewire. He has been a technology writer for more than 12 years with articles appearing in 148Apps, Cult of Mac, Engadget, and more. lifewire's editorial guidelines Published on May 4, 2020 05:06PM EDT Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Internet & Security Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming The tech giants are keeping your data private from government, developers, and themselves while they create a system to help manage the COVID-19 crisis. Faustino Overstreet / CC BY 2.0 / Flickr Google and Apple said they will ban any apps using location tracking services along with their jointly-created contact tracing system. How this works: Reuters says the two companies account for 99 percent of smartphones, which means the decision will affect pretty much all of us. The contact tracing system uses Bluetooth signals to let you know if you've been in contact with another user who's reported as having COVID-19 symptoms. It's all done anonymously, of course; you don't want anyone coming after you if you're infected and walked near them. An issue: Some developers told Reuters last month that location data (which can be anonymized) was crucial to tracking the disease and any human movement associated with it. It would help experts track not only who was infected, but also identify any hotspots of the outbreak. The bottom line: Apple and Google have the final say here, as they roll out the API for public health agencies to use in their own apps. Developers can still create some workarounds, perhaps, but the tech companies seem to want to make utterly sure that our private health data is kept secure.

Learn More About Privacy

The 11 Best Privacy and Security Apps for Android The 11 Best Privacy and Security Apps for Android Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Browse the Web Anonymously Is Google Play Safe? How to Get Rid of the Hollow Arrow on iPhone A Full Review of Google Calendar and Its Features How to Disable Facebook Places Location Tracking How to Use APA Format in Google Docs How to Turn on Location Services on a Mac How to Turn Off Google Location Tracking How to Use Sign In With Apple How to Turn On/Off Location Services on the iPad Allow or Deny Access to Your Physical Location Settings How to Get Google Assistant for PC How to Check Your iPhone Location History How to Stop Google Play Services From Draining Your Battery How to Track an iPhone From an Android Phone 9 Best Ways to Hide Your Identity Online Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies