#coronavirus tracing app

[techmediaa]

TECH FOR GOOD: WHY SHOULD WE INVEST IN STAFF HAPPINESS?

THE benefits of a happy workforce have been well evidenced over the years, with happier staff being more productive, working harder and collaborating on the furthered success of the business in which they work. But the importance of staff happiness stretches beyond just the productivity and financial business benefits. Christina Colmer McHugh, co-founder of Moodbeam, the leading health tech brand supporting businesses with employee happiness, discusses.

The current landscape: A return to normal? 

The start of the new academic year usually heralds a sense of renewal in September, but this year this sense of revitalisation is heightened due to life returning to some semblance of normality following the easing of coronavirus restrictions and a rigorous vaccination programme throughout the summer.

Also Read: Satta Matka

In the height of summer, the NHS test and trace app was sending some half a million alerts per week instructing people to self-isolate. With staff out of action for 10 days at a time, those that remain are forced to work longer hours or more days to fill the gap. While the sensitivity of the app has now been altered, there are many areas of life and business that are not as they were before, facing unique challenges and anxieties – many of which are out of their control.

We only have to look at the news to see the impact. Those hit hardest are those businesses where roles cannot be performed remotely, and the impact has been widely reported across various sectors. Certain businesses like hospitality venues have been especially hard hit since restrictions were lifted, with reports showing that many venues were so short of staff due to isolation at certain points they were forced to close again.

Arguably one of the biggest issues facing businesses right now is the ongoing shortage of HGV drivers. This shortage is being driven by more than just pandemic-induced pressures and is an area that is currently struggling to attract new, younger talent too. Those drivers remaining are working harder than ever before, trying to plug the gap of the tens of thousands of drivers that have been lost to delays in testing, Brexit, and more.

As well as this, these drivers are facing the additional pressure of trying to minimise the onward impact of supply chain delays. A shortage of qualified drivers is leading to supply chain delays, which is turn puts negative pressures on those further down the supply chain in various forms. This in itself is wide-reaching, from supermarket staff having to deal with disgruntled customers unable to buy their favourite foods to the cost of construction materials going up due to shortages, costing companies and their clients thousands in materials and potential delay costs.

Also Read: Satta King Ka Result

[borissimon]

Best Apps For Students With Special Needs

Best Apps For Students With Special Needs https://ift.tt/F9VSBDQ Due to the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic, the increasing number of closed schools, and the resulting lack of resources, special education faces a significant challenge in delivering effective and differentiated instruction. This is why teachers and administrators must rethink their approach to teaching.  One of the most critical factors that parents and teachers consider when implementing an Individualized Education Program is ensuring their students are on track to reach their goals. This is because, in some cases, they are already accustomed to having their aides. In addition to being able to provide a consistent and comprehensive education, teachers also need to work closely with their caregivers to support their students. Fortunately, various digital tools can now help them manage their time and keep their students focused on their goals. Free Apps My PlayHome A free app called My PlayHome allows kids to interact with various people of different skin tones through play, exploration, and the sharing of stories. This activity can help children develop their early language skills and social and emotional awareness. SoundingBoard A free app called SoundingBoard is designed to help children with limited speech and other communication needs communicate using their mobile devices. It features preloaded message boards that have recorded messages. To prompt a verbal message, students press images on the boards. LetterSchool Children can develop their early reading and math skills using the LetterSchool app, which encourages them to touch, trace, and tap animations. It also helps them learn letter sounds and names and other essential skills such as counting and sorting. Tales2Go A complimentary audiobook service known as Tales2Go provides a one-month trial to help students who struggle with reading. It features a wide selection of books and stories for children and adults, with prominent narrators who bring a variety of genres to life. Paid Apps Busy Shapes The game known as “Busy Shapes” is based on the work of Piaget, and it encourages children to develop their fine motor skills and solve problems through various puzzles. Edoki Academy The Edoki Academy offers various math apps to help children develop their math skills step-by-step. It also helps them improve their fine motor skills. Math Drills Kids tend to love math drills because they can compete with themselves to improve their accuracy and speed. This app features basic math operations such as addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication. It also has advanced options that allow teachers to customize their settings and track their students’ progress. Phonics Genius Children can learn how to speak, recognize, and read using letter sounds with the help of the Phonics Genius app. It has over 6,000 words, and various games encourage children to practice their skills. The post Best Apps For Students With Special Needs first appeared on Boris Simon | Education. via Boris Simon | Education https://borissimon.net January 13, 2024 at 04:14PM

[bills-bible-basics]

COVID-19: Attention iOS Users! This May Be of Interest to You if You Use the "Maps" App! While Apple guarantees our personal privacy on our iOS devices, if you use the "Maps" app on your iOS device, you will probably want to be aware of the information which is available at the following two Apple links. This first piece of information was published by Apple on April 14, 2020. Apple Makes Mobility Data Available to Aid COVID-19 Efforts: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2020/04/apple-makes-mobility-data-available-to-aid-covid-19-efforts/ This second link is for downloading the complete "Mobility Trends Reports" data set which is generated by concatenating data from the Apple "Maps" app on your iOS device. This data is generated when you request directions from the "Maps" app: https://covid19.apple.com/mobility For the record, it was reported in our local newspaper today that our local government is now using the aforementioned data to track movement on our island in relation to the spread of COVID-19. While Apple clearly states that this mobility data is not associated in any way with our personal Apple IDs, nevertheless, it does leave me with an uncomfortable feeling. Personally, I never use the "Maps" app. However, you may. Thus, I am sharing this information with you so that you are aware of it. For those of you who may have possibly missed some of my previous coronavirus-related writings, following is a list of everything I have written to date regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. I believe that you will find a lot of useful, factual, instructive and Scriptural information in this material. Please feel free to share this list on your own timelines, pages, in your Facebook groups, and on any other social networks where you happen to participate. Thank you so very much, and God bless you! Bill's Bible Basics Coronavirus Information Center: Bill's Bible Basics Coronavirus Information Center Bill's Bible Basics Articles: BBB Article: "Coronavirus: Just the Facts, Ma'am": https://www.billkochman.com/Articles/coronavirus-1.html BBB Article: "COVID-19, Financial Assistance and Christian Love": https://www.billkochman.com/Articles/covid-19-financial-assistance-christian-love-1.html BBB Article: "Coronavirus: Defiant Christians, Stay Home!": https://www.billkochman.com/Articles/coronavirus-defiant-christians-stay-home-1.html BBB Article: "COVID-19: Exposure Logging and Contact Tracing: Is It Safe?": https://www.billkochman.com/Articles/COVID-19-ExposureLogging-ContactTracing-1.html Bill's Bible Basics Blog Posts: BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: Latest Statistics - Bill's Bible Basics Blog": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-latest-statistics-bills-bible-basics-blog/ BBB Blog Post: "Stop Joking About the Coronavirus": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/stop-joking-about-the-coronavirus/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: God Will Silence the Fools": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-god-will-silence-the-fools/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: Be Still and Know That I Am God": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-be-still-and-know-that-i-am-god/ BBB Blog Post: "Is COVID-19 the New Normal? : Don't Freak Out! Trust the Lord!": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/is-covid-19-the-new-normal-dont-freak-out-trust-the-lord/ BBB Blog Post: "Helpful Tips Regarding Using Face Masks and Respirators": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/helpful-tips-regarding-using-face-masks-and-respirators/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: Why Do You Condemn Your Brethren?": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-coronavirus-why-do-you-condemn-your-brethren/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: Are You Distracted?": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-are-you-distracted/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: Wake Up, Already!": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-wake-up-already/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: 40 Bible Verse Lists Regarding God's Love, Patience, Wrath, Judgments and Repentance":

https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-40-bible-verse-lists-regarding-gods-love-patience-wrath-judgments-and-repentance/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: Where is Your Common Sense?": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-where-is-your-common-sense/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: More Useful Information": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-more-useful-information/ BBB Blog Post: "The Doctor Anthony Fauci Debate: My View": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/the-doctor-anthony-fauci-debate-my-view/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: How to Respond to the Pandemic": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-how-to-respond-to-the-pandemic/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: Face Masks or Bandanas?": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-face-masks-or-bandanas/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus and Beards and Mustaches": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-and-beards-and-mustaches/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: Do You Need A Psychiatric Evaluation?": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-do-you-need-a-psychiatric-evaluation/ BBB Blog Post: "COVID-19: Attention iOS Users! This May Be of Interest to You if You Use the "Maps" App!": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/covid-19-attention-ios-users-this-may-be-of-interest-to-you-if-you-use-the-maps-app/ BBB Blog Post: "Apple iOS 13.7 Introduces COVID-19 Exposure Notifications With No Need For 3rd Party App": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/apple-ios-13-7-introduces-covid-19-exposure-notifications-with-no-need-for-3rd-party-app/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: Are Vaccine Passports Inevitable?": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-are-vaccine-passports-inevitable/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: Don't Be So Harsh!": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-coronavirus-dont-be-so-harsh/ Bill's Bible Basics Poetry: BBB Poem: "Coronavirus Kooks": https://www.billkochman.com/Poetry/coronavirus-kooks.html https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/covid-19-attention-ios-users-this-may-be-of-interest-to-you-if-you-use-the-maps-app/?feed_id=78996&_unique_id=6514022c7ebd8&COVID-19%3A%20Attention%20iOS%20Users%21%20This%20May%20Be%20of%20Interest%20to%20You%20if%20You%20Use%20the%20%22Maps%22%20App%21

[drawingconclusions]

FEATURED POSTS

As much as I'm satisfied with this blog theme, it doesn't let me add a significant amount of text to the introductory paragraph. So if you're new here, this brief list of posts can give you a glimpse into a few of the topics I've covered, and if you're a familiar reader, it can help provide a limited history into past posts. Whether you've visited this page multiple times (wishful thinking on my part, right?) or this is you're first time here, thank you for reading!

POLITICS https://drawingconclusions.tumblr.com/post/678367432903114752/russias-invasion-of-ukraine-part-1-i-havent https://drawingconclusions.tumblr.com/post/661333111194451968/afghanistan-could-have-turned-out-differently https://drawingconclusions.tumblr.com/post/642311019699552256/the-american-way-some-who-have-a-far-greater FAITH https://drawingconclusions.tumblr.com/post/670761580069355520/for-some-it-doesnt-feel-like-christmas-there-is https://drawingconclusions.tumblr.com/post/665777123429171200/rest-for-the-weary-i-heard-there-are-christian https://drawingconclusions.tumblr.com/post/628550017049935872/the-days-of-the-blameless-are-known-to-the-lord TECHNOLOGY https://drawingconclusions.tumblr.com/post/690507852389974016/is-the-widespread-use-of-smart-meters-really https://drawingconclusions.tumblr.com/post/658790829226442752/tech-floc-derivative-works-lets-begin-with-a https://drawingconclusions.tumblr.com/post/615304810101702656/contact-tracing-apps-origins-of-the-coronavirus CORONAVIRUS VACCINES https://drawingconclusions.tumblr.com/post/658796279826137088/coronavirus-vaccines-the-delta-variant-within-a https://drawingconclusions.tumblr.com/post/637425583968616448/the-coronavirus-vaccines-late-last-week-it-was LAW ENFORCEMENT REFORM https://drawingconclusions.tumblr.com/post/619554215340146688/law-enforcement-reform-part-i-ive-always https://drawingconclusions.tumblr.com/post/649012081292673024/the-parameters-of-government-there-have-been-some https://drawingconclusions.tumblr.com/post/630526205265952768/breonna-taylor-i-realize-last-weeks-news PREJUDICE & HATRED https://drawingconclusions.tumblr.com/post/623023035285471233/hatred-isnt-the-solution-you-dont-have-to-hate https://drawingconclusions.tumblr.com/post/620909131228938240/heart-problems-years-ago-i-wrote-about-the

[jsbmarketresearch01]

The Center Tells Lok Sabha that Aarogya Setu Contact Tracing Data is Now Deleted

On Wednesday, the Centre said that they have deleted all the contact-tracing data, which were earlier collected through the Aarogya Setu mobile application. This application software was used to track and locate potential COVID-19 cases during the pandemic time. The application used GPS and Bluetooth for the users who may have come in contact with the people who tested positive for the coronavirus infection. A lot has been said about the security implications over the last three years for the Aarogya Setu App.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MoS for electronics and information technology has told the Lok Sabha that the contact tracing feature in accordance with the respective provisions and protocols, on the Aarogya Setu mobile applications are not discontinued. So, all the contact data collected on the app is not deleted. He also said that secure access to data was given to certain officials only.

Though people still use it as the app is active, the government has said that the feature of contact tracing, for which security concerns were always rife among critics, is no more functioning, and the data has been removed. Chandrasekhar said that approved officials of the State Health Departments, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, District Civil Surgeons, and National and State Disaster Management Authorities were able to access the data securely.

This data is in regards to that collected from the Aarogya Setu. Former intelligence officials and cybersecurity experts have earlier spoken about the data breach possibility, which may affect millions of Indians. However, Indian government officials have said that these concerns can be rested as there is no such threat. Because of lockdowns imposed in 2020, it was mandatory by the Aarogya Setu for the central government employees to register on the app.

The step was taken to ensure that the employees remain safe as they had to commute to work regularly. Then later on registering on the Aarogya Setu app was also mandatory for private and public sector office employees, along with individuals residing in the marked containment zones for the COVID-19-affected places, or those who were traveling through flights.

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[soniarandhawausa]

TECHNOLOGY BENEFITS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN: SONIA RANDHAWA

Imagine living almost entirely at home for a year or more as a child: no time spent in the classroom, no chance to play with friends on the playground, or many chances to indulge in favorite pastimes and discover new places, people, and activities.

Children were kept apart from everyone but their immediate families and placed in a kind of twilight zone due to the global lockdowns that prevented the coronavirus from spreading. But not everything was lost. Children could maintain any traces of their pre-COVID lives thanks to various technologies that kept them entertained, learning, and interacting with friends.

A tech expert in San Francisco, Sonia Randhawa, states a few of the advantages of technology for young children:

Quick information exchange

Our children's well-being is crucial to their rapid learning. We can access the information we want at any time from our computers, tablets, or smartphones thanks to the Internet's quick information exchange. We can go to the extent that we can and break free of the boundaries of time-space concepts for whatever we want to learn or impart to others. Without waiting for the information, we are going to him.

Creativity and freedom of expression

Kids have big ideas, too big to fit in a box. They used only to have access to art supplies like colored markers and crayons to express their thoughts, but now they have access to computers, tablets, and a great deal more to help them do so, whether through digital art or the more traditional drawing method.

Each ability gained from interacting with technology has a creative expression component. While programming a mobile app or video game is the term, coding is a skill.

Socializing

Naturally, it cannot be denied that children who devote a lot of time playing video games, watching television, or using their phones may struggle with socialization. However, children who use technology sparingly can use it as a socializing tool.

For instance, they might become friends because they share a common interest in a social setting and play certain games frequently. Similarly, individuals can learn a new language and recognize a new culture via the Internet, meet people from various languages and cultures, and converse with them.

Problem-solving and perseverance

Whether that obstacle is attempting to construct a shelter in Minecraft, a video game, or learning how to hack, it all contributes to developing a robust sense of perseverance. As a result, they will be encouraged to devise solutions to issues that arise within or outside of technology, such as difficulties with homework, disagreements with friends, or other personal challenges.

Developing special skills

Developing specialized skills is becoming increasingly impossible with technology. We can now paint on a tablet and create a large orchestra using a computer to produce music. Why shouldn't these blessings be passed on to our children?

Numerous applications are available for children to enhance their interests, particularly on our smartphones and tablets. Your children can discover their talents through these applications. Additionally, these tools portability may hinder the child's creativity.

In-demand job prep

One of the most significant advantages of exposing children to technology is that they will be well-prepared to enter a pool of high-paying tech jobs.

The cool thing about this is that we aren't just talking about coding or Silicon Valley. Today, there are tech jobs. Tomorrow will bring tech jobs. Some of tomorrow's technology will be completely novel and unlike anything else the world has ever seen. Some of the technology of tomorrow will be like the technology of today.

Conclusion

We can make life much simpler for both ourselves and our children if we learn how to use it to its full potential rather than living in fear and avoiding technology in this day and age, says Sonia Randhawa. We will achieve this high-efficiency level if we carry out the necessary controls for them and educate them about the limitations of technology.

[xtruss]

Mass Surveillance Technologies Put in Place During Pandemic Aren’t Going Away

Mass surveillance technologies put in place to protect public health during the COVID-19 pandemic haven't gone away. Instead, they've been expanded in an effort to exact worldwide social control.

— By Dr. Joseph Mercola | January 13, 2023

Story at a Glance:

An investigation by The Associated Press (AP) reveals pandemic-era mass surveillance technologies are being utilized as instruments of control.

In China, COVID-19 QR codes have been used to restrict movement, protests and other forms of dissent.

In Israel, the Shin Bet security agency used COVID-19 contact tracing technology to send text messages accusing innocent people of acts of violence.

There is fear that COVID-19 mass surveillance technologies will become a measure for widespread social control in which health data, housing information, financial profiles and more are used to create a comprehensive profile of each individual on earth.

The solution to opting out of the madness and protecting your personal privacy and liberties as much as possible is not to voluntarily give up your control and information.

Much like air travel was fundamentally changed post-9/11 — justified by national security and the “war on terror” — the world is now profoundly different than its pre-COVID-19 state. Freedoms taken for granted in 2019 were abruptly taken away in 2020, again justified by national security and public health.

But now, even with COVID-19 neutralized, technologies supposedly put in place to monitor and track the virus haven’t gone away.

On the contrary, they’re still being used and expanded throughout the world, revealing that mass monitoring of the global population wasn’t about COVID-19 after all but something much bigger, with the potential to eliminate freedom as we know it.

COVID-19 Technologies Being Used For Control

A year-plus investigation by The Associated Press reveals a concerning trend worldwide in which pandemic-era mass surveillance technologies are being utilized as instruments of control.

“In the pandemic’s bewildering early days, millions worldwide believed government officials who said they needed confidential data for new tech tools that could help stop coronavirus’ spread. In return, governments got a firehose of individuals’ private health details, photographs that captured their facial measurements and their home addresses,” AP noted.

Now individuals are finding that data is being used against them — restricting travel and activism, in law enforcement cases and even being shared with spy agencies.

As John Scott-Railton with internet watchdog Citizen Lab told AP, “Any intervention that increases state power to monitor individuals has a long tail and is a ratcheting system. Once you get it, is very unlikely it will ever go away.”

Surveillance in China Used to Stifle Dissent

In China, citizens were required to install cellphone apps that produce QR codes depending on health status. A green result, based on PCR test results, allows a person to move about freely while a yellow or red result restricted travel or required home confinement.

Following widespread demonstrations, the country stated it would no longer enforce national-level health codes to open up travel between provinces.

But Beijing was still requiring local codes for admittance into restaurants, gyms, offices and more. At times over the last three years, entry to a supermarket could be restricted unless a green code was presented, and residents could be quarantined if they were a close contact to someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

The AP investigation, supported by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, also revealed that the government used COVID-19 codes to stop dissent:

“In early September, former wealth manager Yang Jiahao bought a train ticket to Beijing, where he planned to lodge various complaints with the central government.

“The night before, a woman he described as a handler invited him to dinner. Handlers are usually hired by state security as part of ‘stability maintenance’ operations and can require people to meet or travel when authorities worry they could cause trouble.

“Yang had a meal with the handler, and the next morning Guangzhou health authorities reported a COVID-19 case less than a kilometer from where they dined, he said.

“Based on city regulations, Yang’s code should have turned yellow, requiring him to take a few COVID tests to show he was negative.

“Instead, the app turned red, even though tests showed that he didn’t have COVID. Yang was ordered to quarantine and a paper seal was placed on his door.”

In another example, bank customers who were unable to access their online bank accounts attempted to travel to Zhengzhou to protest.

When they arrived at the train station, their QR codes turned red and they were escorted by police to quarantine in the basement.

In all 1,317 people traveling to the city to protest the banking commission received red codes — picked up at the high-speed rail train station, the airport and the highway.

Israel’s Shin Bet Security ‘Repurposing’ Surveillance Tech

A similar trend is occurring in Israel, where the Shin Bet security agency repurposed phone surveillance technology used to monitor militants for COVID-19 contact tracing.

It’s since been repurposed again and has sent text messages accusing innocent people of acts of violence during a period of unrest in May 2021 at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and vowing, “We will hold you accountable.”

Majd Ramlawi was among those who received the text. He’s a barista at a coffee shop outside the mosque compound, an area peppered with security cameras. “It’s like the government is in your bag,” Ramlawi told the AP. “When you move, the government is with you with this phone.”

AP reported:

“The Shin Bet’s domestic use of the technology has generated an uproar over privacy and civil liberties within Israel, as well as questions about its accuracy. The Ministry of Communications, which oversees Israel’s telecommunications companies, refused a request seeking further details submitted for the AP by the Movement for Freedom of Information, a nonprofit that frequently works with media organizations.

“Gil Gan-Mor, an attorney with the nonprofit Association for Civil Rights in Israel, estimates that hundreds of Arabs in Jerusalem received the threatening message during the unrest and said the mass text message blast was unprecedented. ‘You cannot just say to people, ‘We are watching you … and we will get revenge,’ he said. ‘You cannot use this tool to frighten people. If you have something against someone, you can put them on trial.’”

Surveillance Overreach is a Global Problem

The AP obtained documents via the Freedom of Information Act, revealing that countries around the globe are engaging in mass surveillance of their citizens.

Mexico — In the Mexico City suburb Huixquilucan, a surveillance tool was implemented during the pandemic that transmits location, live video and audio of emergency callers to authorities. The technology was said to be necessary for public safety.

Pakistan — The country used military spyware and intelligence services to create an app that identified people infected with COVID-19 as well as those nearby. The Radius Alert function was criticized for privacy violations and leaving users vulnerable to tracking and cyberattacks.

South Africa — Authorities used technology developed to track wildlife poachers for pandemic contract tracing. Movement restrictions were enforced and “smart policing” technologies, including facial recognition and automatic license plate scanners, were implemented in certain cities.

Indonesia — The Health Ministry’s eHAC app collected passport numbers, government IDs and COVID-19 testing status from users as a requirement for travel to or within Indonesia. Data from 1.3 million people on the app was left exposed to potential fraud on an open server.

Singapore — Data collected by Singapore’s Trace Together COVID-19 app is available to law enforcement to investigate certain crimes designated serious offenses.

In India, meanwhile, facial recognition technologies were used to enforce mask mandates, with police taking pictures of people not wearing the masks, or wearing them incorrectly.

Such technologies have been rapidly expanded since the pandemic, and now a patrolling officer can randomly scan a person’s face in public and use an app to check for any past criminal activity.

According to the Associated Press (AP):

“[Hyderabad] Police Commissioner C.V. Anand said the city has spent hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years on patrol vehicles, CCTV cameras, facial recognition and geo-tracking applications and several hundred facial recognition cameras, among other technologies powered by algorithms or machine learning.

“Inside Hyderabad’s Command and Control Center, officers showed an AP reporter how they run CCTV camera footage through facial recognition software that scans images against a database of offenders … Officers decide who they deem suspicious, stoking fears among privacy advocates, some Muslims and members of Hyderabad’s lower-caste communities.”

Apps in Australia were also implemented to collect data and notify people if they were in the vicinity of someone who tested positive for COVID-19. But the data was later collected by intelligence agencies.

At the local level, citizens used a check-in app that would notify them if a COVID-19 outbreak occurred in their area. But law enforcement used the data for criminal investigations and contact tracing.

There is fear that the technologies will become a measure for widespread social control, in which health data, housing information, financial profiles and more are used to create a comprehensive profile of each individual on earth.

“Surveillance today is being posed as a technological panacea to large social problems in India, which has brought us very close to China,” Apar Gupta, executive director of the New Delhi-based Internet Freedom Foundation, told AP.

“There is no law. There are no safeguards. And this is general purpose deployment of mass surveillance.”

Pandemic Accelerated Mass Collection of Data in U.S.

In 2020, the U.S. gave $24.9 million to data analytics software company Palantir Technologies to support the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ COVID-19 response. AP reported:

“Documents obtained by the immigrant rights group Just Futures Law under the Freedom of Information Act and shared with the AP showed that federal officials contemplated how to share data that went far beyond COVID-19.

“The possibilities included integrating ‘identifiable patient data,’ such as mental health, substance use and behavioral health information from group homes, shelters, jails, detox facilities and schools.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also purchased cellphone location data in 2021. The “mobility insights” data revealed the daily locations of at least 20 million cellphones, courtesy of “device IDs” provided by data broker Cuebiq.

The ID can link information to individual cell phones and could be used to assess the effects of lockdowns and business closures, among many other more nefarious uses.

As Scott-Railton with Citizen Lab told AP, “What COVID did was accelerate state use of these tools and that data and normalize it, so it fit a narrative about there being a public benefit. Now the question is, are we going to be capable of having a reckoning around the use of this data, or is this the new normal?”

Are They Watching Your Every Move?

Measures toward authoritarian control and mass surveillance have been increasing worldwide, and in the U.S. Silicon Valley and the national security, state are now fused, according to one of my favorite independent journalists, Whitney Webb.

The decades-long wars against domestic dissidence have always involved technology like databases, and now it’s progressing to technology like facial recognition apps and the widespread use of cameras.

The Chinese government has given billions to the video surveillance company Hikvision, for instance, whose cameras have spread throughout the globe. Their low costs, courtesy of Chinese subsidizing, allowed them to outpace their competition, but concerns have risen that they’re ushering in a police state and may act as a “backdoor to Beijing.”

The company is a heavyweight in the industry, capable of producing 260,000 cameras daily, which works out to two for every three people born each day.

In Britain, 6 million cameras are in use — most of them provided by Hikvision — while the company’s presence has also increased, increasing from 70 U.K. staff members in 2018 to 128 in 2021.

Among Hikvision’s technologies widely used in Britain were heat detection cameras brought on to detect COVID-19 symptoms in 2020.

Worldwide, millions of Hikvision’s cameras are in use, concentrating in major cities, including more than 750,000 devices in the U.S.

Hikvision also has a U.S. subsidiary called EZVIZ, which is based in California and calls itself a “global smart home security brand” that creates a “safe, convenient and smart life for users through its intelligent devices, advanced AI technologies and cloud services.”

Many people have embraced the convenience of “smart” devices in their homes and wearable devices, but there are dangers in intertwining mass surveillance systems with daily living, whether they’re made by Hikvision or another company.

The solution to opting out of the madness, and protecting your personal privacy and liberties as much as possible, is to not voluntarily give up your control.

They’re counting on you taking your cellphone with you everywhere and adopting other forms of digital control, like vaccine passports, smart devices and central bank digital currencies.

When given the choice to opt-in to the latest privacy-sapping technology, don’t.

— Originally published by Mercola. | ChildrenHealthDefense.Com

[melindailles-blog]

Through this app the government will focus on stopping the spread of the novel coronavirus on one of the Canary Islands, authorities said.

[vilaspatelvlogs]

कोरोना संक्रमण के बहाने सरकारें किस हद तक नागरिकों की करेगी निगरानी

कोरोना संक्रमण के बहाने सरकारें किस हद तक नागरिकों की करेगी निगरानी

[ad_1]

बीबीसी हिन्दी, अमर उजाला, Updated Thu, 11 Jun 2020 06:00 PM IST

कोरोना महामारी ने भले ही मजबूत मौजूदा विश्व व्यवस्था को बुरी तरह से हिलाकर रखा दिया हो लेकिन आर्टिफ़शियल इंटेलिजेंस के इकोसिस्टम को आगे बढ़ाने में इसने अहम भूमिका निभाई है। न केवल कोरोना वायरस की वैक्सीन बनाने और वायरस को फैलने से रोकने के काम में इस तकनीक की मदद ली जा रही है, बल्कि नागरिकों की निजता का उल्लंघन करने और…

[appventurezmobitech]

The process known as “contact tracing,” which is used to control the spread of infectious diseases, was boosted last week when the top two smartphone software makers, Alphabet Inc’s Google (GOOGL.O) and Apple Inc (AAPL.O), said they were collaborating on apps that can identify people who have crossed paths with a contagious patient and alert them.

[weelectronicstudentreviewstuff]

Google And Apple Are Making a COVID Tracing Apps, But Huawei's Android Phones Will Not Get That Feature

Google And Apple Are Making a COVID Tracing Apps, But Huawei’s Android Phones Will Not Get That Feature

Image for Representation (Reuters)

Nearly 600 million Android users in China and those with a Huawei handset will not have access to this unique technology to curb coronavirus spread.

IANS

Last Updated: April 20, 2020, 11:46 AM IST

Millions of Huawei handsets including the flagships Mate 30s and P40s will not have access to the joint Apple-Google contact tracing system…

[prolifeproliberty]

We need to speak up now, loud and clear, that we will not comply with contact tracing.

Ventura County, California is already indicating that contact tracing will be used to remove people from their homes against their will. We need to make it very clear now that we will not comply and discourage other cities, counties, and states from following their example. 

Washington State is hiring social workers to care for children who will be removed from their families and placed in “Emergency Quarantine Centers” because they or their parents tested positive or were exposed.

If you test positive for COVID-19 or a contact tracer tells you that you’ve been exposed, do not give up your contacts. The people you name will be forced to quarantine in their home separated from their other family members, and removed from their home against their will if they can’t do that. Note that this is if they are named as a contact. They don’t have to test positive or be tested at all for this to happen. 

Watch how quickly this will be used to punish those who protest or resist lockdown measures, such as business owners who choose to open before their state allows them to or protesters who gather at state capitals. The reasoning will be that they exposed themselves to possible asymptomatic carriers, and thus are potentially carriers themselves. They will be detained with no definite end to their detention and no appeals process and they will be separated from their children, all in the name of public health. 

What can we do about it?

If there is enough backlash early on, before more states try to implement this, it will discourage many states from starting similar programs and potentially keep this from taking root. We need to be loud and clear. 

Please feel free to save this image and share it on other platforms or on your own blog, with or without my explanation. This needs to be a grassroots effort if we’re going to get enough attention to make a difference. 

The hashtag I’ve chosen is #ResistTracers, encompassing both contact tracing investigators and contact tracing apps, both of which will be used to violate privacy and destroy liberty. 

[generalelectionmusings]

[bills-bible-basics]

COVID-19: Attention iOS Users! This May Be of Interest to You if You Use the "Maps" App! While Apple guarantees our personal privacy on our iOS devices, if you use the "Maps" app on your iOS device, you will probably want to be aware of the information which is available at the following two Apple links. This first piece of information was published by Apple on April 14, 2020. Apple Makes Mobility Data Available to Aid COVID-19 Efforts: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2020/04/apple-makes-mobility-data-available-to-aid-covid-19-efforts/ This second link is for downloading the complete "Mobility Trends Reports" data set which is generated by concatenating data from the Apple "Maps" app on your iOS device. This data is generated when you request directions from the "Maps" app: https://covid19.apple.com/mobility For the record, it was reported in our local newspaper today that our local government is now using the aforementioned data to track movement on our island in relation to the spread of COVID-19. While Apple clearly states that this mobility data is not associated in any way with our personal Apple IDs, nevertheless, it does leave me with an uncomfortable feeling. Personally, I never use the "Maps" app. However, you may. Thus, I am sharing this information with you so that you are aware of it. For those of you who may have possibly missed some of my previous coronavirus-related writings, following is a list of everything I have written to date regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. I believe that you will find a lot of useful, factual, instructive and Scriptural information in this material. Please feel free to share this list on your own timelines, pages, in your Facebook groups, and on any other social networks where you happen to participate. Thank you so very much, and God bless you! Bill's Bible Basics Coronavirus Information Center: Bill's Bible Basics Coronavirus Information Center Bill's Bible Basics Articles: BBB Article: "Coronavirus: Just the Facts, Ma'am": https://www.billkochman.com/Articles/coronavirus-1.html BBB Article: "COVID-19, Financial Assistance and Christian Love": https://www.billkochman.com/Articles/covid-19-financial-assistance-christian-love-1.html BBB Article: "Coronavirus: Defiant Christians, Stay Home!": https://www.billkochman.com/Articles/coronavirus-defiant-christians-stay-home-1.html BBB Article: "COVID-19: Exposure Logging and Contact Tracing: Is It Safe?": https://www.billkochman.com/Articles/COVID-19-ExposureLogging-ContactTracing-1.html Bill's Bible Basics Blog Posts: BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: Latest Statistics - Bill's Bible Basics Blog": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-latest-statistics-bills-bible-basics-blog/ BBB Blog Post: "Stop Joking About the Coronavirus": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/stop-joking-about-the-coronavirus/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: God Will Silence the Fools": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-god-will-silence-the-fools/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: Be Still and Know That I Am God": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-be-still-and-know-that-i-am-god/ BBB Blog Post: "Is COVID-19 the New Normal? : Don't Freak Out! Trust the Lord!": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/is-covid-19-the-new-normal-dont-freak-out-trust-the-lord/ BBB Blog Post: "Helpful Tips Regarding Using Face Masks and Respirators": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/helpful-tips-regarding-using-face-masks-and-respirators/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: Why Do You Condemn Your Brethren?": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-coronavirus-why-do-you-condemn-your-brethren/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: Are You Distracted?": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-are-you-distracted/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: Wake Up, Already!": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-wake-up-already/ BBB Blog

Post: "Coronavirus: 40 Bible Verse Lists Regarding God's Love, Patience, Wrath, Judgments and Repentance": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-40-bible-verse-lists-regarding-gods-love-patience-wrath-judgments-and-repentance/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: Where is Your Common Sense?": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-where-is-your-common-sense/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: More Useful Information": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-more-useful-information/ BBB Blog Post: "The Doctor Anthony Fauci Debate: My View": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/the-doctor-anthony-fauci-debate-my-view/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: How to Respond to the Pandemic": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-how-to-respond-to-the-pandemic/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: Face Masks or Bandanas?": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-face-masks-or-bandanas/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus and Beards and Mustaches": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-and-beards-and-mustaches/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: Do You Need A Psychiatric Evaluation?": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-do-you-need-a-psychiatric-evaluation/ BBB Blog Post: "COVID-19: Attention iOS Users! This May Be of Interest to You if You Use the "Maps" App!": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/covid-19-attention-ios-users-this-may-be-of-interest-to-you-if-you-use-the-maps-app/ BBB Blog Post: "Apple iOS 13.7 Introduces COVID-19 Exposure Notifications With No Need For 3rd Party App": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/apple-ios-13-7-introduces-covid-19-exposure-notifications-with-no-need-for-3rd-party-app/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: Are Vaccine Passports Inevitable?": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-are-vaccine-passports-inevitable/ BBB Blog Post: "Coronavirus: Don't Be So Harsh!": https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/coronavirus-coronavirus-dont-be-so-harsh/ Bill's Bible Basics Poetry: BBB Poem: "Coronavirus Kooks": https://www.billkochman.com/Poetry/coronavirus-kooks.html https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/covid-19-attention-ios-users-this-may-be-of-interest-to-you-if-you-use-the-maps-app/?feed_id=70242&_unique_id=64695bbe114a5&COVID-19%3A%20Attention%20iOS%20Users%21%20This%20May%20Be%20of%20Interest%20to%20You%20if%20You%20Use%20the%20%22Maps%22%20App%21

[enchantedbyhiddles]

Just a reminder that the Covid-19 epidemic is at different stages in different countries and that different rules apply. What might be okay in your country might not be okay in others and the other way round. 

Many European countries have relaxed their rules, so it might be okay to be outside without a mask. Small gatherings might also be okay. Criticising people, when they follow the rules of their country, is over the top. On the other hand, if you are in an area with many infections strict social distancing still applies and doing as much as meeting friends is an unnecessary risk.

[intelligentliving]

A rare partnership between Apple and Google has formed amid the current pandemic, as both companies want the same thing: to stop the COVID-19 outbreak and save the people. The companies will be adding technologies to their smartphone platforms that will notify users once they’ve come in contact with a...