SINGAPORE: Singapore launched a contact-tracing smartphone app to allow authorities to identify those who have been exposed to people infected with coronavirus as part of efforts to curb the spread of the disease.
Governments around the world have turned to technology to battle the virus.
The TraceTogether app will work by exchanging short distance Bluetooth signals between phones to detect other participating users in close proximity of 2 meters.
Records of the encounters will be stored locally on each phone with the app, developed by Singapore’s Government Technology Agency (GovTech) and the health ministry.
Users will need to send their logs when requested by the health ministry, which will otherwise not have any knowledge of the data, according to an official statement.
Singapore has won international praise for its fastidious approach in tackling the virus — which has included using police investigators and security cameras to help track suspect carriers.
The data stored on users’ phones will be encrypted and the app will not access other information, such as a user’s location.
“The engineering has preserved the privacy of the users from each other,” Janil Puthucheary, a senior minister of state, told reporters.
Singapore has stringent rules to deal with infectious diseases — last month it charged a Chinese couple with giving false information about their movements to authorities looking to trace their contacts.
While downloading the app is not compulsory, the government said it would encourage people to do so.
TraceTogether’s functionality will be suspended after the epidemic subsides, according to its description in the Apple App Store.
Singapore launches contact tracing mobile app to track coronavirus infections
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Singapore launches contact tracing mobile app to track coronavirus infections
- The TraceTogether app will work by exchanging short distance Bluetooth signals between phones to detect other participating users in close proximity of 2 meters
- Users will need to send their logs when requested by the health ministry, which will otherwise not have any knowledge of the data
Saudi Media Forum expects large rollout of speakers, panels ahead of 5th edition
- More than 300 participants expected to discuss issues, challenges facing sector
- Leading platform for media exchange will explore ways to keep pace with a rapidly changing world
RIYADH: The fifth edition of the Saudi Media Forum due to kick off in early February is expected to attract more than 300 participants across hundreds of panels.
The forum aims to explore the future of media in a rapidly transforming world, reflecting the dynamic cultural and developmental landscape of the Saudi Arabia.
High-level editors, reporters, and speakers include Karen Elliott House, former executive editor of The Wall Street Journal; Julie Pace, executive editor and senior vice president of the Associated Press; and Ben Smith, co-founder and editor-in-chief of the global news platform Semafor.
The forum is a leading Saudi platform for media exchange and cooperation, fostering capacity building, stimulating innovation, and building bridges of communication locally and globally.
The fifth edition reaffirms the forum’s status as a pivotal event in the year of media transformation, bringing together the most prominent media figures to discuss the issues and challenges facing the sector, and ways to keep pace with a rapidly changing world.
The forum includes the Future of Media Exhibition, which will bring together government entities and private companies, both local and international, under one roof. Exhibitor pavilions will showcase the latest products and contributions in media, radio, and television. These pavilions, alongside the dedicated presentation platform, provide an opportunity for participants to share their innovations and specialized services with visitors.
The exhibition’s main stage will offer comprehensive insights into the media sector through panel discussions, dialogues, and workshops featuring local and international speakers, while also providing opportunities for signing cooperation agreements and partnerships.
