If you receive a similar e-mail from your U. S. Senator DO NOT DOWNLOAD THAT APP
"Dear Friend,
"Since the coronavirus outbreak began, my top priority has been to provide our nation and our Commonwealth with the resources we need to fight this pandemic. Last week, using funding provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the Virginia Department of Health launched a new tool to help fight COVID-19. COVIDWISE is an exposure notification app that will alert users if they have been in close contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 while protecting individual users’ privacy.
"Virginia is the first state in the country to design a COVID-19 app using Bluetooth Low Energy technology, which does not rely on personal information or location data. Users can opt-in to download and utilize the free app. Given the sensitivity of health data, privacy-preserving technology is hugely important in gaining Americans’ trust. As the sponsor of legislation to protect the security and privacy of COVID health data, I’m pleased to see this thoughtful approach by the Virginia Department of Health.
"The app works by using random Bluetooth keys that change every 10 to 20 minutes. iOS and Android devices that have the app installed will anonymously share these random keys if they are within proximity for at least 15 minutes. If a person is diagnosed with COVID-19, it is up to them whether or not to share their result anonymously through COVIDWISE. No location data or personal information is ever collected, stored, tracked, or transmitted to the Virginia Department of Health as part of the app. Users can delete the app or turn off exposure notifications at any time.
"The COVIDWISE app is one tool to help us confront this challenge, but we all must continue to work together to stop the spread of the virus. For more information about the COVIDWISE app, I encourage you to visit the Virginia Department of Health website.
"John Warner, U. S. Senate"
Here are the reasons you should not do so:
This bill, S 3624, the "Pandemic Response and Opportunity Through National Service Act",would expand the federal government's national service programs by creating 750,000 new jobs to "assist" state governments in carrying out contact tracing. The grant monies involved, in HR 6666 alone, would be $100 billion - to be handed out by the CDC to "eligible entities" (including churches schools, non-profits and "any other entity that the Secretary (HHS) deems appropriate.) (!) Also included is provision for tracing, monitoring and quarantining those contacted. This legislation is clearly a violation of our 4th Amendment which guarantees us protection against undue searches and seizures. Contact Tracing is just that.
"Dear Friend,
"Since the coronavirus outbreak began, my top priority has been to provide our nation and our Commonwealth with the resources we need to fight this pandemic. Last week, using funding provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the Virginia Department of Health launched a new tool to help fight COVID-19. COVIDWISE is an exposure notification app that will alert users if they have been in close contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 while protecting individual users’ privacy.
"Virginia is the first state in the country to design a COVID-19 app using Bluetooth Low Energy technology, which does not rely on personal information or location data. Users can opt-in to download and utilize the free app. Given the sensitivity of health data, privacy-preserving technology is hugely important in gaining Americans’ trust. As the sponsor of legislation to protect the security and privacy of COVID health data, I’m pleased to see this thoughtful approach by the Virginia Department of Health.
"The app works by using random Bluetooth keys that change every 10 to 20 minutes. iOS and Android devices that have the app installed will anonymously share these random keys if they are within proximity for at least 15 minutes. If a person is diagnosed with COVID-19, it is up to them whether or not to share their result anonymously through COVIDWISE. No location data or personal information is ever collected, stored, tracked, or transmitted to the Virginia Department of Health as part of the app. Users can delete the app or turn off exposure notifications at any time.
"The COVIDWISE app is one tool to help us confront this challenge, but we all must continue to work together to stop the spread of the virus. For more information about the COVIDWISE app, I encourage you to visit the Virginia Department of Health website.
"John Warner, U. S. Senate"
Here are the reasons you should not do so:
This bill, S 3624, the "Pandemic Response and Opportunity Through National Service Act",would expand the federal government's national service programs by creating 750,000 new jobs to "assist" state governments in carrying out contact tracing. The grant monies involved, in HR 6666 alone, would be $100 billion - to be handed out by the CDC to "eligible entities" (including churches schools, non-profits and "any other entity that the Secretary (HHS) deems appropriate.) (!) Also included is provision for tracing, monitoring and quarantining those contacted. This legislation is clearly a violation of our 4th Amendment which guarantees us protection against undue searches and seizures. Contact Tracing is just that.
