Data protection fears limit popularity of contact tracing apps
Data protection, fear of surveillance and lack of interest are three of the main reasons people have not downloaded Covid-19 tracing apps such as SwissCovid, according to a survey conducted in Switzerland, Germany and Austria.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/ac
The study by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), published on Thursday, found that almost half (46%) of Swiss respondents had downloaded the SwissCovid app. This is more than the official estimate (30%). Fewer Germans (38%) and Austrians (18%) had downloaded tracing apps available in their respective countries.
Data protection concerns are the most frequent reason cited by the Swiss for not installing the application (32%). Around 20% of people are worried that the pandemic and the application could be used for surveillance purposes. Lack of interest (31%) and difficulty in perceiving the benefits of such an application (26%) are also mentioned.
“People who don’t download the app seem to give more weight to their own sensitivities than to the personal and social benefits. In Switzerland and Germany, moreover, it has been shown that people who know an infected person are more likely to install the app,” says Caroline Brüesch, author of the study.
The decision to install the contact tracing app was most often influenced by government campaigns, media coverage and immediate surroundings. More men than women tend to download the app.
The Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) interviewed 3,000 people in the three countries during September.
Medieval squirrels may have ‘helped spread leprosy’
This content was published on
An examination of squirrel remains in the United Kingdom has opened up interesting questions and possibilities in terms of the history of the disease.
Swiss money laundering office registers record number of reports
This content was published on
The Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS) registered a record number of reports of suspicious activity last year.
Two teens accused of planning terror attack released from custody
This content was published on
The Schaffhausen judiciary has released the two teenagers from custody who allegedly planned bomb attacks in Switzerland.
OECD: Sluggish economic activity slowing growth in Switzerland
This content was published on
Sluggish economic activity at the start of the year is weighing on growth in Switzerland, with GDP expected to fall to 1.1% in 2024.
Report finds mistakes which led to Swiss government data breach
This content was published on
Mistakes were made by both the government and internet company Xplain in the case of a criminal cyber-attack on the Bern-based IT business.
Swiss government wants better gender balance in federal administration
This content was published on
New Swiss government personnel management targets say there must be even more female managers in the federal administration.
Swiss national science foundation funded over 5,000 projects in 2023
This content was published on
In 2023, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) provided a total of CHF961 million worth of funding towards research projects.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Contact-tracing apps: good allies against the pandemic?
This content was published on
With the arrival of the second wave of Covid-19, authorities insist on the need for digital tracing to slow the spread of the virus.
Majority of Swiss reluctant to download contact tracing app
This content was published on
A recent survey has shown that more than half of the Swiss population does not intend to download the tracing application SwissCovid.
Swiss to pioneer use of coronavirus tracing app in Europe
This content was published on
Parliament has given the green light for the public launch of SwissCovid, a contact tracing application to help contain the coronavirus pandemic.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.