Apple and Google will ban location tracking on apps that use their contact tracing application program interface (API). The tech-firms had earlier said their API will only be available to public health authorities making contact tracing apps and that they will limit the number of apps to one per country. However, the development is unlikely to have an impact on apps like Aarogya Setu.
The two had announced joint efforts to build the API to help governments speed up development of contact tracing apps that can be used to monitor covid-19 patients in their countries.
The first beta of the API went out to developers working with public health authorities this past week.
Application program interface or API is a set of functions and procedures used for building software and apps.
According to sources, the location history restriction would apply only for apps that want to use this specific Google-Apple APIs, and will not impact any existing apps that have their own APIs for contact tracing.
This means the development is unlikely to have an impact on Aarogya Setu, given that it uses its own APIs. Indian government’s mobile app Aarogya Setu, developed for tracking coronavirus patients, has recorded about nine crore downloads.
The app alerts people if any person in their vicinity has tested positive for COVID-19.
Apple and Google have published the COVID-19 Exposure Notification Terms of Service and policies to ensure transparency about how the API will work, and to help developers understand the criteria to use the API.
To put it simply, they have spelt out the terms and conditions for developers for using the API. According to the policies, apps made using the said API must be created by or for a government public health authority, and can only be used for efforts on COVID-19 response.
Also, the apps can collect limited necessary data and can only use that information for COVID-19 response efforts. All other uses of data, including targeting advertising, is not permitted. Also, the apps are not allowed to seek permission to access location services.