Majority of Swiss in favour of contact tracing via smartphones

Switzerland ditched the Pan-European Privacy-Preserving Proximity Tracing project after some researchers complained of privacy vulnerabilities. Keystone / Sascha Steinbach

According to a survey, 64% of Swiss residents are in favour of being tracked in return for alerts when they come into contact with people infected with the coronavirus. 

The survey, carried out by consulting firm DeloitteExternal link, revealed that 60% of respondents would be prepared to install such a contact tracing application on their own phone. Around 30% fully support being tracked, and 34% are “rather favourable” to the idea. Of the sceptical respondents, only a small proportion (14% of all respondents) categorically reject the anonymous tracking of movements.

Those under 30 years of age were slightly more inclined to approve tracking measures (68%). The approval rate is also above average among those working in the information technology or telecommunications sector (78%). There was no significant difference in the responses between different regions or between rural and urban areas. A total of 1,500 Swiss residents between the ages of 16 to 64 were surveyed during the Easter holidays. 

On its way

Switzerland plans to introduce a contact tracing app in the next few weeks. The decentralised contact tracing app DP-3T, designed to alert users who have come into contact with people infected with infectious diseases, should be ready by May 11, according to two Swiss universities involved in its conception.

The app employs Bluetooth technology to allow smartphones to communicate with each another anonymously. If a person tests positive for coronavirus, all the people with whom that person was in contact in previous days could be alerted so as to isolate themselves and get tested.