Current Events > So, NZ is about to make covid QR tracing compulsory, according to rumors.

(+) Yeah! (+)

I kinda want to develop a "fake" app to sell to conspiracists that supposedly mimics the real one, except it's actually just me re-compiling the real one which is open source.

I can even tell them "it doesn't share any info with anyone unless you specifically allow it to" (which is already true of the real one)!

I really hate being too honest to do shit like that. >_>

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We have a contact tracing app called Luca here

Many government offices, as well as private businesses, require it. Unfortunately, it sucks and leaks your data (this has been proven by CompSci researchers)

So someone made an app that fakes a Luca QR code without actually sharing your data
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The NZ app only reports anonymous statistics, so there isn't really a need for a "fake" except as a peace of mind thing for nutters. I guess the statistics could be stripped out too.

I have figured out how to create fake QR codes though. I made one a while back that I claimed "allowed you to see other people's data if you scan it" - upon actually scanning it, it just adds a visit record for a location called "You just lost The Game".

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Mr Hangman posted...

You can't have mandatory contact tracing and say it doesn't share any info unless you allow it. Not allowing it would be not participating in the contact tracing.

NZ's app keeps your data on your device until you choose to share it. The "mandatory" part would be scanning in. Also, even if a legal obligation existed, on a technical level it could still require the user's input before it shares the data (despite that a legal threat may exist for not doing so).

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Mr Hangman posted...

So is not having a phone illegal there or what?

Firstly, nothing is mandatory yet in regards to the app. Some businesses choose to require sign-in, but there's no law mandating anyone use the app; the only legal requirement is for businesses to display the QR code so that people can sign in with the app.

Secondly, they've always been conscious of people who don't / can't use the app, and alternative options are encouraged / mandated to be provided by businesses (whether encouraged or mandated depends on the business and what degree of restrictions - or "alert level" in NZ terminology - we're at at the time).

Just as a side note - if I'm remembering who you are correctly I have no reason to assume this was your intention, but just as a general note, in an NZ context basically the only people who ever talk about "hurr durr I don't have a phone that can do it" are the conspiracist crowd - those who genuinely can't use the app, aside from generally not being on social media / etc in the first place, are well aware of the alternative options.

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Mr Hangman posted...

What's your source on this?

Finally found an actual source again - https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/covid-19/449002/pm-jacinda-ardern-details-new-covid-19-protection-measures

Not sure how familiar you are with NZ's alert levels that it refers to, so to put it really simply - Level 1 is basically life as normal (the only difference the average person would notice is that they have to wear masks on public transport), Level 2 is mask mandates / social distancing / similar precautions, Level 3 is a light lockdown (eg. you can still get takeaways / delivery / click and collect, just can't hang out in public or go to a physical shop except for essentials), Level 4 is a harsh lockdown (basically everything's outright closed unless it's essential, can't even get deliveries / etc).

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Mr Hangman posted...

Alright, so just proffering at the moment. I'm curious if they're serious about that what the enforcement details would be.

I suspect it'll be similar to the public transport mask mandate, which isn't really enforced (at least at Alert Level 1) but simply by calling it "mandatory" compliance is a fair bit higher. They've generally only prosecuted breaches at Level 1 if it's someone who's actively drawing attention to their flouting of the rules.

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