[ad_1]
SINGAPORE: Adoption of the TraceTogether application and tokens stands at more than 60 percent, approaching the target of 70 percent required to move to Phase 3.
The Smart Nation and Digital Government Group (SNDGG) said the figure is “in the low 60 percent,” but did not give a specific number.
This figure was reflected in a YouGov poll conducted last week, which found that 23 percent of people have yet to download the app and 11 percent said they downloaded it but then removed it.
The survey of more than 1,000 Singaporeans found that awareness of the TraceTogether app has increased. Ninety-eight percent of those surveyed said they were aware of the app, compared to a similar survey conducted in April that found 84 percent were aware of the app.
And while privacy concerns for TraceTogether have subsided, concerns about the app causing battery drain on mobile phones is still a reason some people don’t install it.
READ: Nearly 25,000 Close Contacts of COVID-19 Cases Identified Using TraceTogether: Gan Kim Yong
Among those who haven’t downloaded the app, the top two reasons were that they didn’t want to turn on Bluetooth all the time or that the app was consuming too much battery. The third most popular reason was that they don’t want to download any more apps.
LESS CONCERNED ABOUT PRIVACY
One of the main reasons for not downloading the app initially, that users were concerned that the app would collect their personal information, rose to prominence. In last week’s poll, 28 percent cited it as a concern, compared with 45 percent in April. Those between the ages of 25 and 34 were the most concerned about this.
Associate Professor Lawrence Loh from the National University of Singapore Business School said that it appears that many users now know that their data is stored on the device and will not be shared unless there is an infection.
“I think there was a misunderstanding on the part of many potential users at the beginning about the collection and use of the data,” said Professor Loh, director of the Center for Governance, Institutions and Organizations.
READ: MOE Updates Time Requirement for Students to Use TraceTogether App or Token in Schools
SNDGG said both the TraceTogether application and the token “preserve privacy by design.”
“GPS location is not collected and the devices only exchange anonymous, encrypted Bluetooth signals with other nearby TraceTogether devices,” said a spokesperson.
“Bluetooth data is also automatically deleted after 25 days, and authorities only request the data when a user is confirmed to be a positive case of COVID-19.”
SAFETY ONLY TRACETOGETHER
Adoption might also have increased recently because the app or token is now required to enter more places, such as cinemas. Since July 3, GovTech has updated the TraceTogether app to enable SafeEntry QR scanning and registration.
TraceTogether-only SafeEntry has been implemented in some venues such as bars, some places of worship, and venues that host live performances and business events. All places that require SafeEntry should have mandatory SafeEntry only from TraceTogether in the near future.
“Until the app is needed to access key locations, there will be widespread use,” Associate Professor Loh said. “Take the case of mobile payment in China; it has become so widespread along with the rejection of cash by many establishments that people have no choice but to switch to those payment methods.”
READ: Marina Bay Sands Theater to Reopen December 18 with Live Concert with Benjamin Kheng and Other Local Artists
READ: SafeEntry log only from TraceTogether to be used in popular places
SNDGG said another possible reason for not adopting TraceTogether may be the belief that SafeEntry is sufficient, due to a lack of understanding that TraceTogether and SafeEntry are complementary tools that serve different functions.
“By using these digital tools together, we can improve the speed and accuracy of contact tracing,” the spokesperson said.
Authorities have said that TraceTogether has allowed contact tracing teams to cut the time required to identify and quarantine a close contact from four days to less than two days.
BATTERY DRAIN
Addressing concerns about battery drain, SNDGG said it is constantly improving and updating the app, including tweaking it to be “as energy efficient as possible.”
“Users are advised to keep their applications updated to the latest version to take advantage of the latest enhancements,” he said.
“Current battery consumption on the tested phones is only marginally higher with the application running, particularly on phones that already have Bluetooth enabled.”
Professor Ang Peng Hwa from Nanyang Technological University Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information said the app’s battery consumption could increase in a crowded place as the app will use power to send and receive signals. from other nearby phones.
“The more people you have around, the more it will drain,” he said. He suggested that those who are concerned about this use the tokens instead.
SNDGG added that acceptance of both the TraceTogether app and the token is growing steadily.
“More community centers will open in the coming weeks and we expect token collection to take place at a steady pace,” he said.
READ: TraceTogether’s token collection has been suspended for one day, and will be distributed one at a time starting October 29.
MAY NOT KNOW …
The agency said it is engaging the public face-to-face by having Smart Nation Ambassadors stationed at TraceTogether education booths in shopping malls across Singapore.
At these road shows, Ambassadors help members of the public set up the app, run them through the registration process, and their roles. They also help troubleshoot for those with technical problems.
Many of those who have downloaded the app seem unaware that they need to register by filling in their contact details and verification information, SNDGG said.
Users may also not be aware that there is a group registration feature that they can use to add family members. They can use this when checking into a location together, which would help ease queues at the entrance of public spaces.
Those who want to collect TraceTogether tokens can visit https://token.gowhere.gov.sg for collection locations and dates. You can find more information about TraceTogether here.
