COVIDSafe App and your Privacy

COVIDSafe App and your Privacy

As you are no doubt aware the Federal Government has released a downloadable App, COVIDSafe, for importing onto mobile phones.

The object of the App is to alert us if we spend time in the close presence of somebody who has been diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus.

Privacy groups have expressed some concerns relating to the application and many people will have questions about how their data will be utilised.

The draft Legislation criminalises the use or disclosure of the application data for any purpose not related the contact tracing of persons diagnosed with COVID-19.  There are also protections in place to prevent the export of the data to outside of Australia.

With the safeguards as drafted there would seem to be little concern for misuse of the data. Although people who download it should remember that the data can and will be used for contact tracing of persons diagnosed with COVID-19 and that may lead to self-isolation orders and/or a direction to attend testing.

 If you have any questions about your privacy of the COVIDSafe App or any other concerns please contact our team on 02 6542 5566.