Aarogya Setu App in India

Aarogya Setu App is a mobile application is from the Government of India. The purpose of this app is Contact Tracing i.e. warn the owner about potential infection.
Lakhs of people are using this mobile App in India. The app has been mandatory in some parts of the country.

Some problems with this App are

• The app violates individual privacy. If I am near an infected person in a public area, the government will come to know about it. It can forcefully quarantine me.
• This App has been hurriedly developed. There is no "proof of concept". So it is likely that a non-infected person will be marked as infected. He/She may be forcefully quarantined by Government. In this Quarantine, he/she may get infected. Now, the Government will say, "See, our App works. We found an infected person with our App"
• The App is not open source. (The equivalent App used in Singapore is open source). So we have no idea about privacy violations by this App. We have no idea, which governments will be automatically alerted if I am near an infected person. We have to take the word of government regarding privacy issues. Now, how many people trust their government?
• The App uses GPS continuously. Many smartphones don't have a built-in GPS like GLONASS. It is not clear about how this app will work on these smartphones.
• The App uses Bluetooth continuously. Many smartphone users use Bluetooth for listening to music. It is not clear, whether music-listeners will still get to hear clear music after installing this app.
• Using GPS and Bluetooth continuously is a huge drain on the battery. People will have to carry power banks or charge their smartphones in shorter intervals.
• Many people in India don't carry a mobile phone. So how can it be made compulsory?
• Many people in India carry a feature phone like JioPhone. This app can't be installed on a feature phone.

So I would recommend

1. Don't install this App.
2. If you have to install this app, then tell the official that you don't have a smartphone.
3. If the officer insists on physically searching you, then show him a feature phone. Say that you don't carry any smartphone.
4. If the officer still insists on physically searching for a smartphone, then carry two smartphones. Install this app on one of the smartphones. Keep this smartphone in "Airplane mode" most of the time. Use it only for showing to officers that you comply with rules.
5. If you have only one smartphone and you are being forced to install this app, then disable the app after installation. Enable the app, only when you have show proof of compliance. Disable the app asap, after proving your compliance.

Anyone, who uses this app regularly is a moron.