[On the ethics of corona apps]

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Public Health Technology
• Digital Health

Context:

• The COVID-19 pandemic spurred interest in digital contact-tracing apps for managing viral spread.
• Initial expectations for these apps were high, but effectiveness varied, as seen with Germany's Corona-Warn-App.
• Debates often prioritized data minimization over potential public health benefits.

Purpose:

• To analyze the effectiveness of digital contact-tracing strategies in epidemic control.
• To evaluate the trade-offs between data privacy and public health outcomes in app design.
• To re-examine the preference for decentralized versus centralized data storage models.

Summary:

• A conflict exists between minimizing data collection and achieving effective epidemic control.
• Centralized digital contact-tracing apps, storing more data centrally, show potential for greater viral spread reduction compared to decentralized models.
• Decentralized systems, while privacy-focused, present their own privacy challenges that were underestimated.

Impact:

• The study suggests that a centralized approach to digital contact tracing may be more effective for epidemic control.
• It highlights the need to balance privacy concerns with the imperative for effective public health interventions.
• The findings advocate for a re-evaluation of app design principles, considering both privacy and efficacy.