The Good and Bad of Tracing Apps

Author

Michael Roberts

Release Date

Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Share

For the countries that are looking forward to reopening, tracing apps could be the better option. The hot topic right now in the discussion is on tracking apps because of the current world pandemic.  The question is, are there more benefits when you are using tracing apps than the disadvantages? Are the customers going to use the app to make a difference in society?  

These are some of the questions that need to be resolved before the tracing apps hit our markets. Unlike using the BetMgm casino app, several considerations must be made before fully embracing these apps. That's because this casino app offers a wide array of exciting games and allows you to conveniently deposit using different secure banking methods.

Three states in the US, Alabama, North Dakota, and South Dakota are developing apps to locate infected people and those persons who came into contact with the infected people. Google has collaborated with Apple to create a software framework for developers to create apps that will work on phones. Currently, there are about twenty apps in development.

The most crucial thing is there are limitations and risks associated with the use of the apps.  The following are some of the pros and cons of the tracing app.

The good

There are no specific federal or state level laws prohibiting employees from using contact tracing apps. That means that employees may make robust medical inquiries than required. State laws might impact the employee's usage of the app. The laws vary in different states, and of course, rapidly developing, so employers are well equipped to monitor relevant jurisdictions closely and consult with their legal counsel before employees use the contact tracing app.  

 By now, most of the employers in the US are required to use the contact tracing apps, provided they follow the rules set aside to manage the associated risks, for example, privacy risk.

The reason behind the employers taking risks associated with the contact tracing app is that they are struggling to find a proficient path to protect employees while remaining open for business. Under OSHA's general duty clause, employers are required to provide the workers with a working environment. A pleasant working environment must be free of recognized hazards that are likely to cause harm to employees. 

As suggested by OSHA, employers are required to implement some combination of personal protective equipment (PPE), cloth face coverings, administrative controls, and engineering controls, depending on the level of employee exposure to the associated risk. 

The tracing related apps reduce and manage the COVID 19 related risks in the workplace.  After its installation, Wi-Fi enabled devices, contact tracing apps transmit an identification number to other apps –installed in devices within the range of Wi-Fi or Bluetooth enabled devices.

The bad

Any technological device has its risk and limitations. Let's consider a new workplace, be it a factory, an office, or other settings. Employees may choose or are required to leave their phones in their lockers before going into their work area. Another hindering factor is the employees may decide or are required to switch off their phones during their working hours or in meetings. In any of these eventualities, the employees may be in actual exposure to the risk, and contacts would not be accurately recorded in the app. 

These events may bring some false sense of security. The app could provide wrong information where all infected person's actual contacts cannot be identified. In case of these events, the employees could be at the actual risk of contracting the disease. 


Latest Stories