Apple and Google place limitations on tracing apps in the UK to protect users’ privacy

According to the Guardian, the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) is in a standoff with Apple and Google after the two companies refused to support its plans to develop an app alerting users if they have been in contact with someone infected by the COVID-19. NHS had previously announced having teamed up with Apple and Google to work on a mobile phone app. The two companies have now refused to support NHS’ plans as they would require a centralized database of contacts. Apple and Google are encouraging health services worldwide ‘to build contact-tracing apps that operate in a decentralised way’, preventing public authorities from using that data to build an aggregate picture of population movements.