Paris (AFP)

Secretary of State for Digital Cédric O on Thursday shared his "very strong uncertainties" about the success of the StopCovid project supposed to help contain the epidemic by tracking contact cases via an application, but whose effectiveness and implications for privacy ask question.

This system, currently developed by INRIA researchers and voluntary developers, will not be "the alpha and omega of the deconfinement strategy", explained Cédric O, heard by more than fifty deputies during a videoconference organized by the president of the Law Commission Yaël Braun-Pivet.

"There are very strong uncertainties about the fact that it is effective and therefore it is not impossible that all of this will deflate quickly enough in the coming weeks (...) but even if there are many questions and a lot of difficulties, it would be irresponsible not to work on it, "he added.

Among the technical problems, "Bluetooth was not designed to measure distances". This standard of radio waves which allows our smartphones to identify nearby devices (headphones, speakers, printers ...) is privileged in the project because it allows tracking without using geolocation data.

However, signal calibration will be key to detecting people present for a certain period of time in the environment close to the user, and which could potentially lead to contamination.

"There will likely be a number of false positives, as the app will not be able to tell you if you have been back to back or face to face with a person, or if you have touched a contaminated surface. It will not be magic ", recognized the secretary of state.

Another difficulty mentioned by the deputies, the digital divide and the inability for some people to use this application when its effectiveness depends on its massive adoption.

While guaranteeing that it would be "very simple, childish", and designed taking into account accessibility constraints, Cédric O declared that it was "the most worrying subject".

"We are thinking about something outside of the cell phone, a small key that we could massively produce, but this subject is even more complicated, even more uncertain," he added.

The system, presented as not derogating from European regulations on personal data, will also have to provide for "a link with a healthcare third party" to guarantee that the cases reported are really positive and measures to avoid malicious behavior.

Cédric O judged on the other hand "a little ridiculous" the criticisms on the social pressure that could feel those who would not want to use the application. Choosing to do without it will have "no consequences," he said. "At best or at worst, if you ever get infected, you don't even have to report it."

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