TraceTogether

TraceTogether
Developer(s)	Government Technology Agency
Stable release	2.14.2 / 31 May 2022
Repository	github.com/opentrace-community ;
Written in	Kotlin (Android); Swift (iOS);
Operating system	Android, iOS
Available in	Bengali, Burmese, Chinese, English, Hindi, Malay, Tamil, Thai
Type	Digital contact tracing; COVID-19 apps
Licence	GPL-3.0
Website	www.tracetogether.gov.sg (Obsolete from 10 January 2024)

TraceTogether was a digital system implemented by the Government of Singapore to facilitate contact tracing efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore. The main goal was a quick identification of persons who may have come into close contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19. The system helps in identifying contacts such as strangers encountered in public one would not otherwise be able to identify or remember. Together with SafeEntry, it allows the identification of specific locations where a spread between close contacts may occur.

Released on 20 March 2020, the system initially consisted only of an app by the same name.^[1] However, this was later supplemented by a physical token mainly intended for elderly and children who may not own a smartphone, or those who prefer not to use the app. The app was the first main COVID-19 tracking app released in the world and its development encouraged the development of similar apps in other countries.^[2]

The app has raised significant concerns about the privacy of those who use the app, especially due to a lack of decentralised report processing and access to the data by police. However, the app states it has several features to ensure users' privacy, such as regularly rotating users' IDs and storing limited data. Despite the concerns over privacy, the app was slowly adopted by the population of the Singapore, eventually reaching a 92% adoption rate in May 2021.^[3] The app was now mandated for specific groups of people and those attempting to enter certain venues and events.

On 9 February 2023, the system was deactivated after the authorities determined that the system was no longer required and closed down on 10 January 2024.

^ Cite error: The named reference :15 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Levy, Benjamin; Stewart, Matthew (30 July 2021). "The Evolving Ecosystem of COVID-19 Contact Tracing Applications". Harvard Data Science Review. 3 (3). arXiv:2103.10585. doi:10.1162/99608f92.2660ce5a. S2CID 232290602. Archived from the original on 3 September 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
^ Baharudin, Hariz (11 May 2021). "More than 1,100 users have deregistered from TraceTogether: Vivian". The Straits Times.

[:15-1] Cite error: The named reference :15 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[2] Levy, Benjamin; Stewart, Matthew (30 July 2021). "The Evolving Ecosystem of COVID-19 Contact Tracing Applications". Harvard Data Science Review. 3 (3). arXiv:2103.10585. doi:10.1162/99608f92.2660ce5a. S2CID 232290602. Archived from the original on 3 September 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2021.

[:st20210511_1100users-3] Baharudin, Hariz (11 May 2021). "More than 1,100 users have deregistered from TraceTogether: Vivian". The Straits Times.

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