What a ridiculous backlash to the government virus "tracker".
It is unfortunate that the first reaction is by people who
are technically illiterate.
As I understand it if your phone comes near of another phone in Bluetooth
range, say half a metre to say 3 metres they will log each other.
If the owner of a phone comes down with the virus his phone can be read
out to see who he has been close to as a possible source or victim.
Those persons can be tested and it may well find suffers not even aware
they are positive and even save a few lives.

The app is not a tracker but a logger. Trackers are quite different things.

I don't care. I've had a basic mobile for less than 12 months. No apps. Just a phone. And, to cap it all off, nobody has to have the app anyway.

However, it is natural for people to react to anything to do with tracking or surveillance, particularly in emotional times like these, the China connection and the fact that our PM is doing a pretty good impression of a Leftist dictator at the moment.

Last night I watched a Mr. B.Joyce saying he didn't like the app because he didn't trust the government. He has always been as mad as a cut snake, but a member of the government saying he doesn't trust the government?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxjrFuC5BhU

I see ttbn, you did not get the msg. You are still talking about tracking.
I will try to explain.
If your phone has Bluetooth turned on it will send a Bluetooth beacon
every so often. I do not know what is the normal preset interval.
For argument sake lets say 3 minutes.
It sends a packet of data giving its name, Samsung 6 in my case.
My neighours laptop ids as Surface with an icon of a laotop and its
number which I cannot see without special software.
So after 15 minutes, which seems too long a time to me, other nearby
phones seeing 5 packets will record in memory the name of the phone & its number.
Now, we have a list of phones that were close together.
If someone becomes sick and has the virus, the doctors can use his phone
number to search the database for other phones that are associated with
the patients phone number, ring them and suggest they get tested.

If they rang you would you accuse them of spying and tell them to go to buggery?

Bazz,

As I said, I don't care. The app is not mandatory. I have a basic Telstra pre-paid that is just capable of making and receiving calls. No internet. No nothing. Most of the time I forget to take the thing with me. Hate it.

Bazz, I totally agree, I found this vid of ttbn using his phone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkHkWc0fUy0

i will be downloading app.

I love it when Government advisors assume all have access to smart phones and internet connections.

It is a stupid assumption.

Why is it any different in outcome to Julia Gillards cash for clunkers proposal.
Or her removing access to unleaded petrol.

the disconnect shows astounding ignorance.

Dan

Mobile phones are immoral and evil, I never had one and rather die before I ever touch that thing.

However, I studied the information about the proposed implementation of "TraceTogether" and I think that it is a good idea, helpful and without any serious privacy risks.

I therefore contacted the government and asked whether it will be possible to have this program implemented on a separate, stand-alone pocket device. I await their answer and will take up this option if available.

This should also solve the problem for Ttbn and many other older people as well as children whom their parents, rightly, do not wish to expose to the internet, also the blind and handicapped. If the stand-alone device is made smaller and more robust (no glass and other breakable parts) then it is also more likely for people to carry it while exercising.

Moreover, a closed, specially-built independent device cannot be hacked, say by the Chinese government, and even if it is - what information could possibly be stolen from it?