India orders coronavirus tracing app for all workers

NEW DELHI: India has ordered all public and private sector employees use a government-backed contact tracing app and maintain social distancing in offices as it begins easing some of its lockdown measures in districts less affected by the coronavirus.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government said on Friday India, with the world’s second-largest population after China, would extend nationwide curbs for another two weeks from Monday, but allow “considerable relaxations” in lower-risk areas.

India last month launched the Aarogya Setu (Health Bridge) app, a Bluetooth and GPS-based system that alerts users who may have come in contact with people who later test positive for COVID-19.

“Use of Aarogya Setu shall be made mandatory for all employees, both private and public,” the Ministry of Home Affairs said late on Friday. Company heads will be held responsible “to ensure 100% coverage” among employees.

Officials at the technology ministry and a lawyer who framed the privacy policy for Aarogya Setu said the app needed to be on at least 200 million phones for it to be effective in a population of 1.3 billion.

The app has been downloaded around 83 million times in total in a country with a smartphone user base of about 500 million, according to the technology ministry. The app’s compulsory use is raising concerns among privacy advocates, who say it is unclear how the data will be used and who stress that India lacks privacy laws to govern the app.

“Such a move should be backed by a dedicated law which provides strong data protection cover and is under the oversight of an independent body,” said Udbhav Tiwari, Public Policy Adviser for internet browser company Mozilla.