In view of the low usage figures for Corona warning apps, Swiss scientists see governments as responsible for ensuring wider acceptance. Many Corona apps are not even used by 30 percent of the population, write Effy Vayena and Alessandro Blasimme from ETH Zurich in an article for the specialist journal Science .

The scientists explain the low usage rate to a lack of trust in the apps. In view of the monitoring potential of the apps, skepticism is widespread, and the effect has not yet been sufficiently proven. Governments would have to increase trust in digital contact tracing (DCT), for example by setting up a supervisory body to control the app.

Installation quota below 30 percent The researchers refer in their article “What’s next on COVID – 19 apps? ” on studies from April and May: 55 to 70 percent of adults in all age groups from the USA, Switzerland and Italy agreed to use a Corona app at the time. The actual installation rate in the countries, however, is well below 30 percent.

Vayena and Blasimme explain this the way in which the apps were developed and introduced: this was often done without involving the public. In democratic countries, however, this leads to a decline in trust in the technology, in particular due to the strong encroachment on privacy and the monitoring potential of the apps.

Data protection alone does not help The development of the German Corona app was less hasty than in other countries and with a strong focus on data protection and the pseudonymisation of user data. An Irish research team also described the German app as perhaps the technically cleanest in terms of data protection.

Nevertheless, the installation rate in Germany is not higher than that of other countries: According to Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU), the Corona app in Germany was 22 Downloaded millions of times and is from 18 to 20 Millions of people used it every day. This shows that data protection mechanisms alone are not enough to increase the number of users, the scientists conclude.

Public Discourse A constant public discourse about the app is necessary, the The researchers recommend taking new findings into account. A supervisory body from different disciplines should support the discourse and control the further development and operation of the Corona app. Not only data protection and medical professionals should be involved, but also, for example, social scientists.

The committees should observe whether certain social groups may be excluded from the benefits of contact tracing because they may not have have the necessary technical equipment for their use. At the same time, it should be examined whether certain groups in which the use of DCT occurs more frequently are excessively burdened by their disadvantages.

According to Blasimme and Vayena, such measures could increase the number of users without increasing the stress on individuals. At the same time, DCT apps could then demonstrate better effectiveness, which would convince other people.

(cbo)