Centralized or decentralized

Additional Sources

There is very little information available to the public about how China's technology works.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/01/business/china-coronavirus-surveillance.html

India is the only democracy making its app mandatory for millions of people. 1/25/21: Court rules gov't can't share app data with other government departments and agencies: https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/karnataka-high-court-restrains-centre-nic-from-sharing-response-data-of-persons-collected-through-aarogya-setu-168886

https://www.mygov.in/aarogya-setu-app/

Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (Kominfo) and the Ministry of SOEs

The Indonesian app uses individuals' location data to cross reference telecommunications provider data.

https://www.thejakartapost.com/academia/2020/06/22/covid-19-apps-fear-of-tyranny-by-data.html

Japan's app has been riddled with issues since it launched, and has been suspended at least twice.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/07/11/national/japans-contact-tracing-app-glitch/

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/06/27/national/science-health/japan-coronavirus-app-downloads/

The specific privacy and data policies for the Mexican app are currently quite thin and vague.

http://www.nl.gob.mx/noticias/lanza-gobierno-aplicacion-movil-para-notificar-casos-positivos-de-covid-19

The app launched in April and has serious privacy concerns which sparked a letter demanding better protections from major organizations.

https://www.staysafe.ph/

https://www.manilastandard.net/opinion/columns/about-town-by-ernesto-m-hilario/327882/staying-safe-amid-the-pandemic.html

Vietnam is using a decentralized system but requires access to contacts and other media on mobile devices like photos.

https://www.techinasia.com/intrusive-asean-contacttracing-apps

Germany opted for the Google/Apple API after initially aiming to build a centralized system.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-27/germany-taps-sap-deutsche-telekom-for-contact-tracing-app

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-europe-tech/germany-flips-to-apple-google-approach-on-smartphone-contact-tracing-idUSKCN22807J

Turkey mandates people who test positive download the app and can then share data with police.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tr.gov.saglik.hayatevesigar

This app appears to no longer be in use.

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/epgkmz/iran-launched-an-app-that-claimed-to-diagnose-coronavirus-instead-it-collected-location-data-on-millions-of-people

https://www.zdnet.com/article/spying-concerns-raised-over-irans-official-covid-19-detection-app/

Like the UK and Norway, France negotiated with Apple and Google but decided against using their standards.

https://techcrunch.com/2020/04/08/france-is-officially-working-on-stop-covid-contact-tracing-app/

The app launched on September 24 but continues to face criticism for being confusing and ineffective. Works with apps in Northern Ireland, Jersey, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Gibraltar and Wales.

https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/health/files/ehealth/docs/covid-19_apps_annex_en.pdf

After China, Italy was the first Western nation devastated by covid-19. They launched thier app in early June.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-italy-technology/italy-tests-contact-tracing-app-to-speed-lockdown-exit-idUSKBN21Z0VJ

https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/health/files/ehealth/docs/covid-19_apps_annex_en.pdf

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-poland-tech/poland-rolls-out-privacy-secure-coronavirus-tracking-app-idUSKBN23G208

Tawakkalna app pairs with Tabaud, the contact tracing app, and allows citizens to request "movement permits" for mobility around the city. As of mid-June, Tawakkalna and Tabaud have been made mandatory for government employees to enter Ministry buildings.

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/coronavirus/2020/05/20/All-you-wanted-to-know-about-the-Saudi-tracking-app-Tawakkalna; https://www.arabnews.com/node/1738016/media

While Tabaud uses the Google-Apple system, its privacy policy notes "external links" in the apps, which the app bears no privacy responsibility for. It's unclear what the "external links" are. Tabaud is also not open source.

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/coronavirus/2020/06/28/Saudi-Arabia-s-coronavirus-social-distancing-app-Tabaud-All-you-need-to-know

Permissions allowed for data use are overly broad. Originally only available for Android, now also available for iPhone.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/05/08/data-from-covid-19-app-mytrace-kept-on-phone-not-govt-servers-says-khairy; https://www.malaymail.com/news/what-you-think/2020/05/17/digital-surveillance-privacy-data-ecosystem-and-effectiveness-moonyati-yati/1867050

Ghana's app is focused on collecting users' location data.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/16Kh4_Q_tmyRh0-v452wiul9oQAiTRj8AdZ5vcOJum9Y/edit#

Australian experts have criticized the government for a lack of transparency and non-responsiveness to privacy issues.

https://www.imore.com/australias-covidsafe-app-only-working-27-time-some-iphones

Tunisia's government says the app will remain voluntary so long as download rates are high.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-53052395; https://www.accessnow.org/to-safeguard-privacy-tunisia-must-be-transparent-on-tech-used-to-fight-covid-19/

eRouska is one part of the Czech government’s larger "smart quarantine" plan. The app relaunched in September to address issues with the first version.

https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/health/files/ehealth/docs/covid-19_apps_annex_en.pdf; https://www.expats.cz/czech-news/article/czech-anti-covid-app-erouska-will-soon-connect-with-foreign-apps

https://www.zdnet.com/article/mobile-apps-and-contact-tracing-these-tools-are-helping-to-end-the-lockdown/

The voluntary app alerts people who came within 2m of an infected person for at least 20min.

https://dailynewshungary.com/covid-19-tracker-app-available-for-download-in-hungary/

The app is mostly decentralized, but citizens can be fined for refusing install or register for the app.

https://www.thenational.ae/uae/health/coronavirus-what-can-i-still-be-fined-for-in-uae-1.1040480

Officials said the app is not sufficiently accurate because it is based only on GPS and voluntary information.

https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/health/files/ehealth/docs/covid-19_apps_annex_en.pdf

https://medium.com/@oleiba/hamagen-fight-coronavirus-and-preserve-privacy-b1631693bb46

Austria was one of the first major European nations to align with the Google/Apple API.

https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/health/files/ehealth/docs/covid-19_apps_annex_en.pdf

https://www.roteskreuz.at/site/faq-app-stopp-corona/datenschutzinformation-zur-stopp-corona-app/

Bluetooth, DP-3T, Google/Apple

Initially, the Swiss opted to use DP-3T instead of the Google/Apple API. Now it looks they will be using both.

https://github.com/DP-3T/documents/blob/master/DP3T%20White%20Paper.pdf

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/digital-solution_contact-tracing-app-could-be-launched-in-switzerland-within-weeks/45706296

Bulgaria launched their app in early April and began lifting movement restrictions in early May.

https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/health/files/ehealth/docs/covid-19_apps_annex_en.pdf

Thailand paired the proximity contact tracing app with a QR code check-in system, called Thai Chana

https://www.bangkokpost.com/life/social-and-lifestyle/1938848/the-price-of-safety

TraceTogether was the first major Bluetooth contact tracing app.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/16Kh4_Q_tmyRh0-v452wiul9oQAiTRj8AdZ5vcOJum9Y/edit#; https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/what-you-need-know-about-soon-be-compulsory-tracetogether-system

Finland's pilot app is no longer in use. The current app's privacy policy is well-documented.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/16Kh4_Q_tmyRh0-v452wiul9oQAiTRj8AdZ5vcOJum9Y/edit#

https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/finlands_coronavirus_tracing_app_to_launch_in_august/11384825

This is the second app deployed in Norway. The first was discontinued after privacy concerns.

https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/health/files/ehealth/docs/covid-19_apps_annex_en.pdf

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/06/norway-covid19-contact-tracing-app-privacy-win/

Unlike neighboring UK, Ireland opted to use the Google/Apple API from the outset. Northern Ireland's app works with apps in England, Jersey, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/hse-covid-19-tracing-app-data-will-be-stored-on-individual-devices-1.4240304

Bluetooth, QR codes, Google/Apple

New Zealand's app is based on a check-in system using QR codes in public areas. App revamped early Dec. 2020 to include Bluetooth and Apple/Google tech.

https://www.aei.org/technology-and-innovation/a-tale-of-two-contact-tracing-apps-lessons-from-australia-and-new-zealand/

https://theconversation.com/an-australia-nz-travel-bubble-needs-a-unified-covid-contact-tracing-app-were-not-there-151761

A recent Amnesty International report highlighted Kuwait's app as one of the most invasive in the world.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-53052395

https://www.theverge.com/2020/6/16/21293363/covid-19-contact-tracing-bahrain-kuwait-mass-surveillance-tools-privacy-invasion

The app is mandatory for all citizens and requires access to photos. It also had a major security breach upon launch.

https://m.gulf-times.com/story/663120/MoPH-Effective-contact-tracing-key-to-Covid-19-response

North Macedonia

Android and iOS apps were launched in mid-April.

https://privacyinternational.org/examples/3690/north-macedonia-launches-bluetooth-based-contact-tracing-app

Northern Ireland's app works with apps in England, Jersey, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.

https://www.businesspost.ie/coronavirus/north-appoints-same-sofware-firm-as-south-to-develop-its-contact-tracing-app-6cbe4bf4

Though 25% of the country has downloaded BeAware, there is little public information about the app. As of Jan 2021, users can also schedule vaccine appointments via the app.

https://www.itv.com/news/2020-05-05/global-coronavirus-death-toll-tops-quarter-of-a-million/

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/06/bahrain-kuwait-norway-contact-tracing-apps-danger-for-privacy/

Bytelogics, Cybernetica, Fujitsu Estonia, Guardtime, Icefire, Iglu, Mobi Lab, Mooncascade, Velvet

Bluetooth, DP-3T, Google/Apple

https://e-estonia.com/trace-covid-19-while-respecting-privacy/

The Cypriot app was one of the earliest efforts to launch, all the way back in February.

https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/health/files/ehealth/docs/covid-19_apps_annex_en.pdf

CareFiji launched at the end of June and is modeled after the Singapore app TraceTogether.

https://www.fijitimes.com/all-government-issued-mobile-phones-must-have-carefiji-app/

Iceland decided not to use Bluetooth because it was too unreliable and instead uses location data

https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/health/files/ehealth/docs/covid-19_apps_annex_en.pdf

Gibralter's app launched on June 18th and over 25% of the population has downloaded it. Works with apps in Northern Ireland, Jersey, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales.

https://www.chronicle.gi/contact-tracing-app-to-be-rolled-out-this-week/

Algeria's app was investigated by Amnesty International.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-53052395

Bluetooth, Google/Apple, DP3T

Belgium's code is based on Germany's Corona-Warn app. It's open source and well-documented.

https://www.brusselstimes.com/all-news/belgium-all-news/117398/belgian-contact-tracing-app-to-be-developed-by-september/

https://www.rtbf.be/info/belgique/detail_coronalert-si-on-atteint-15-d-adhesion-de-la-population-on-sauve-des-vies-estime-axel-legay-concepteur-de-l-application-de-tracage?id=10596235

Canada's app has rolled out to 8 provinces and territories. Its website contains usage numbers and clear explanations of how it works.

https://business.financialpost.com/technology/shopify-blackberry-contact-tracing-app-tested-ontario?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter

https://thestarphoenix.com/technology/tech-news/shopify-blackberry-and-ontario-to-help-canada-launch-contact-tracing-app/wcm/bdc8cef1-734b-4d89-b098-ffcf7dfce34b/

In September, this app notified people they had been exposed when in fact they had not, due to a technical error.

http://cphpost.dk/?p=115021

South Africa tried several other contact tracing strategies before moving to this privacy-protecting option.

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-10-13-covid-alert-sa-app-the-fine-balance-between-public-health-privacy-and-the-power-of-the-people/

The app was built by Shohoz, an "online ride-sharing and ticketing platform." Months after its June release, the app had not proven to be very effective.

https://tbsnews.net/tech/covid-tracer-app-tests-negative-125629