[LINK] COVIDsafe app update requires location on

[Scott Howard]

This isn't new.

Android devices have always required applications that do any form of
Bluetooth scanning to have the "Location" permission.  This doesn't mean
that they are collecting your location using GPS (although with this
permission they could), but is done because Bluetooth scanning can be used
to determine your location, such as through proximity to a fixed bluetooth
beacon.  In effect, this is pretty much what Covidsafe is designed to do -
track your "location", however in terms of other users rather than using
fixed points for reference.

(I believe iOS devices are the same, but I'm not certain on that)

*> The first was a few weeks ago, when I manually updated the app (there is
no "update" function)  *

Updates are done using your devices App management system (eg, Google Play
Store on Android) which absolutely supports automatic updates.
Presumably you have them turned off.

*> I hadn't read anything about this change, nor whether Minister Stuart
Robert had reconsidered his position that using Google or Apple location
services was a dangerous betrayal of our national sovereignty.*

That's probably because the "change" you're referring to never happened,
nor did the "dangerous betrayal of our national sovereignty".

  Scott


On Mon, Aug 10, 2020 at 4:50 AM <kheitman at kheitman.com> wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> As one of the users of the Australian Government's COVIDsafe app from
> the outset, I've noticed two major updates since first download.
>
> The first was a few weeks ago, when I manually updated the app (there is
> no "update" function) - on download it now had more information screens
> and apparently continued to renew the latest information state by state.
>
>
> Last weekend I noticed it was not working - on opening it I was informed
> that the app "requires" location to be set on in order to run. I don't
> routinely permit location broadcasting, so it's now a matter of letting
> Google's location function run amok or the COVIDsafe app won't work at
> all.
>
> I hadn't read anything about this change, nor whether Minister Stuart
> Robert had reconsidered his position that using Google or Apple location
> services was a dangerous betrayal of our national sovereignty.
>
> Have other LINKers observed this new feature?
>
> Regards,
>
> Kim
>
> --
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> kheitman at kheitman.com.....................www.kheitman.com
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> _______________________________________________
> Link mailing list
> Link at mailman.anu.edu.au
> http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
>