The Techspecs of Australia's CovidSafe App with Difficult Nerd James Newburrie - WilmsFront Feature

In this WilmsFront Feature for the Unshackled Tim interviews Difficult Nerd James Newburrie who explains the technical operation of the CovidSafe app and why we are right to be concerned about our privacy.

The Federal Government has assured us that the CovidSafe Tracing App is not a location tracker but only uses the Bluetooth function our phones to create digital handshakes with other app users. If an app user tests positive for coronavirus then the data is released from their phone to notify the other app users that they have digital Bluetooth handshakes with.

When Parliament resumes next week the Government will legislate privacy protections for the app with 5-year jail terms for any authorized data access. James states the government's refusal to release the app's source code is the biggest cause for concern because that would reveal exactly how the app operates and put more of these privacy concerns at ease.

Scepticism over this app and the nudge incentives by the government to download it is due to previous justifications and misuse of increased government data collection of citizens' activities. The metadata laws of 2014 were sold to us as a way to catch terrorists and pedophiles yet countless government agencies have tried to access such data for their own use. Government tech failures have also eroded public trust their privacy guarantees.

I finish by asking James about the rollout of 5G and if the widespread concerns expressed about its radio-wave technology are justified? He sees no cause for concern and such concern has also been born out of distrust in governments and corporations.