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I wrote an article about the key players in the development of Aarogya Setu. Here're my key takeaways:
NITI Aayog's involvement in the dev of the app has finally been officially acknowledged by MEITY (credit: @OfficialSauravD's complaint to the CIC) https://www.medianama.com/2020/10/223-aarogya-setu-creation/
NITI Aayog's involvement in the dev of the app has finally been officially acknowledged by MEITY (credit: @OfficialSauravD's complaint to the CIC) https://www.medianama.com/2020/10/223-aarogya-setu-creation/
Despite no info on the app, MeitY Secy gave data on the app. Where did he get the info from? Here are a few examples: https://www.medianama.com/2020/05/223-aarogya-setu-13k-user-data-server-697-potential-hotspots-identified/
Despite no info on the app, the NeGD CEO broke the news of iOS code being made open source. How? https://www.medianama.com/2020/08/223-aarogya-setu-ios-open-source/
MeitY has given info on the Protocol in RTI responses in the past. The RTIs were filed by @digitaldutta.Read about them here: https://www.medianama.com/2020/07/223-meity-protocol-aarogya-setu-coronavirus-data/
Despite claiming that they have no info on the app, NIC has given me info about the app in RTIs, including number of submissions made to the Bug Bounty Programme: https://www.medianama.com/2020/08/223-aarogya-setu-bug-bounty-programme-submissions/
Despite initial denials, 1mg and MakeMyTrip have conceded that they were involved in the development of the app. I had earlier identified affiliations of each of the contributors listed on the GitHub repository: https://www.medianama.com/2020/05/223-aarogya-setu-contributors/
Contracts were NOT signed between the 'private volunteers' who developed the app and the govt agencies. (If PDP Bill were a law, this would have been illegal.)Watch my interview (from April) with Rahul Matthan and Arnab Kumar here:
The question is, why should you care? You should care because:
- This is the first building block of the National Health Stack which will overhaul the health infra in the country. It's a huge problem if it's shrouded in secrecy and people aren't allowed https://www.medianama.com/2020/04/223-aarogya-setu-upcoming-features/
- This is the first building block of the National Health Stack which will overhaul the health infra in the country. It's a huge problem if it's shrouded in secrecy and people aren't allowed https://www.medianama.com/2020/04/223-aarogya-setu-upcoming-features/
to know which govt and pvt entities are involved in the process.
- There are contradictions between the Protocol and the Privacy Policy, many of which I have highlighted repeatedly over the last few months. So which one will reign? https://www.medianama.com/2020/05/223-meity-aarogya-setu-data-access-sharing-protocol/
- There are contradictions between the Protocol and the Privacy Policy, many of which I have highlighted repeatedly over the last few months. So which one will reign? https://www.medianama.com/2020/05/223-meity-aarogya-setu-data-access-sharing-protocol/
- The app does not have a sunset clause; only the Protocol does.
- Function creep is a major problem with the app. It now has an API for employers to monitor health status of their employees. https://www.medianama.com/2020/08/223-aarogya-setu-open-api-services/
- Function creep is a major problem with the app. It now has an API for employers to monitor health status of their employees. https://www.medianama.com/2020/08/223-aarogya-setu-open-api-services/
- A number of govt and pvt entities have made the app mandatory for their employees, staff, students despite the absence of law. Such steps don't consider the fact that only 35% of the Indian population has smartphones. If we take the KaiOS owners into account, it's about 44-45%.
Follow all Aarogya Setu related coverage here: https://www.medianama.com/tag/aarogya-setu/
