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Smartphone Apps for Containing the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany: Qualitative Interview Study With Experts Based on
Dennis Krämer1, Elisabeth Brachem2, Lydia Schneider-Reuter2
1Faculty of Social Sciences, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
Journal of Medical Internet Research
|October 20, 2023
Summary
Digital contact tracing (DCT) apps balance health monitoring with user control concerns. Qualitative research on Germany's Corona-Warn-App highlights transparency, data sovereignty, and sociocultural factors for effective pandemic response.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Information Science
- Sociotechnology
Background:
- Smartphone applications, including digital contact tracing (DCT) apps, were vital in managing COVID-19.
- DCT apps generate information to interrupt transmission chains based on user data.
- Limited qualitative research exists on critical issues surrounding DCT app implementation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the challenges of DCT, focusing on the conflict between continuous health monitoring and user concerns.
- To investigate uncertainties regarding data transparency, access, and future use in DCT.
- To explore the tension between technological capabilities and user sovereignty in digital health tools.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative analysis of the German "Corona-Warn-App".
- Empirical data collection through 19 semi-structured expert interviews (2020-2021).
- Grounded theory approach for data analysis.
Main Results:
- Key findings revolve around transparency, data sovereignty, and the east-west divide.
- Transparency is crucial for user trust and security in DCT.
- Data sovereignty is valued for user control, while the east-west divide highlights the influence of sociocultural factors on technology.
Conclusions:
- Effective DCT requires balancing individual control with technological prevention for pandemic containment.
- Maximizing technological benefits of DCT tools is important.
- Users must remain aware of shared data and maintain control over their personal information.
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