Officials are talking to Google, Facebook, and other technology giants over the spread of coronavirus, and how smartphones with location tracking can be used to help fight the spread of the disease in the United States.
According to The Washington Post, government officials are looking into aggregated, anonymized location data and whether it could help to understand the patterns of movements and help to predict where the virus will increase.
Though Americans may be uncomfortable with the idea of government officials tracking their every move, the idea behind the new drive is not to create a government database, but to serve as a short-term strategy to delay and reduce the spread of COVID-19 in some areas.
Earlier in the week, some of the most respected medical professionals, disease experts and tech executives came together to urge technology companies like Google, Apple, and Facebook to play a greater role in fighting COVID-19 and offer their data and knowledge.
The White House, too, has played its role, meeting with heads of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Amazon to discuss ways they can help people deal with the global guidelines of isolation, quarantine, and social distancing in these truly challenging times.
The pandemic has already had a major impact on technology, with corporations like Google and Facebook clamping down on the spread of misinformation with relevant health banners.
Do you think tapping into location data is the right thing to do during this outbreak? Let us know your thoughts over on social media and check back regularly for more COVID-19 news.
