What you need to know
- Apple has added new features to its COVID-19 website.
- Users can now share anonymous information such as age, symptoms, and more.
- The feature has also been added to the COVID-19 app.
Apple has updated its COVID-19 information website and accompanying app to allow users to share anonymous data with the site.
As reported by TechCrunch:
Apple has updated its own COVID-19 iOS app and website with new features to allow users to anonymously share info including their age, existing health conditions, symptoms, potential exposure risks and the state in which they're located. This info, which is not associated with any of their personal identifying data in any way according to the company, will be used in an aggregated way to help inform the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and improve the organization's COVID-19 screening protocol.
As mentioned, users can anonymously share data such as their age, pre-existing health conditions, symptoms, exposure risk, and the state they live in. Because you won't include any personal data, none of the information can be used to identify anyone who submits it, and the data will be used in an "aggregated way" to assist the CDC.
Apple launched the website and app in March stating:
Apple today released a new screening tool and set of resources to help people stay informed and take the proper steps to protect their health during the spread of COVID-19, based on the latest CDC guidance. The new COVID-19 website, and COVID-19 app available on the App Store, were created in partnership with the CDC,1 the White House Coronavirus Task Force and FEMA to make it easy for people across the country to get trusted information and guidance at a time when the US is feeling the heavy burden of COVID-19.
The initiative is not connected to the contact-tracing framework built jointly by Apple and Google to help governments monitor the spread of the infection.
