WA State To Unveil New COVID ‘Tracing’ App at Monday Event

Monday, WA state and Gov. Inslee announced a new smartphone app that will reportedly allow citizens to find out if people nearby test positive for COVID, without collecting or revealing any location or personal data.

The new app is called WA Notify, similar programs are supposedly being used in Virginia, Colorado and New York, as well as Germany and Canada.

The new app was developed in part with help from Google and Apple, and according to the release itself:

"By adding WA Notify to their smartphones, Washington residents will be alerted if they spent time near another WA Notify user who later tests positive for COVID-19. "

This tool is free, can be downloaded at all the standard Google Play and Apple locations, and is voluntary, and users and opt out at any time. A press conference is planned Monday at 2:30PM to discuss it more. It will be another Inslee conference.

The app reportedly uses what is called "bluetooth low energy" (BLE) technology to alert a person if they have been in close proximity to someone who has tested positive. The two phones will "exchange" random tones or "tokens" without revealing any personal data or using GPS.

It will be interesting to see how the public responds to this new supposedly privacy preserving app.

To read more about this new app, click on the button below.