Shopify, BlackBerry contact tracing app

Quick Answer

Canada hired Shopify and BlackBerry to build a Bluetooth contact tracing app. The app uses Apple and Google APIs for anonymous exposure alerts.

Users opt in and exchange short, rotating codes by Bluetooth. The design aims to protect privacy and save battery life.

How can we keep our privacy while still helping public health efforts? Short design rules and clear opt‑in consent aim to protect user privacy.

At a glance

• Bluetooth Low Energy shares short anonymous codes between nearby phones.
• Apple/Google APIs let apps record and match exposure events on devices.
• Users choose to report a positive test to alert recent close contacts.
• Design goals include privacy, strong security, and low battery use.

What does Bluetooth Low Energy mean for daily contact and privacy?

The project goal

Canada asked two tech firms to build a contact tracing app. The aim was to speed public health response while protecting privacy.

Shopify brings web and UX skills. BlackBerry brings mobile security and device know‑how.

Is it possible to balance tech help with strong privacy protections?

How the system works

The app uses the Exposure Notifications setting built into phones. Apple and Google gave an API for apps to work with that setting.

When enabled, Bluetooth swaps short, time‑limited codes with nearby phones. Devices record the codes and their signal strength and time.

How do rotating codes keep our identity private in practice?

What assurances do you need to trust this technology and its privacy controls?

Bluetooth basics

Bluetooth Low Energy sends and scans for tiny packets at set times. Each phone broadcasts codes that change often to hide identity.

Signal strength and time help the app guess how close a contact was. The device does most matching to limit data sent off phone.

API and privacy

The API lets the app log exposures with rules set by the OS. Users decide if they share keys after a positive test.

Only short, pseudonymous tokens leave the phone if a user opts in. This keeps personal details off central servers.

What safeguards show that data stays anonymous and secure today?

Are you willing to share your exposure data for collective safety?

Key terms

• Bluetooth: short‑range wireless tech that links nearby devices for small data exchange.
• API: an interface that lets an app use built‑in phone features.
• Exposure Notifications: a phone setting that lets approved apps take part in tracing.

How do we define 'exposure' and 'contact' clearly for everyone?

Why Canada built the app

Public health teams need timely data about where exposure clusters happen. Test data alone misses many asymptomatic cases and short chains of spread.

Digital tracing can flag contacts faster than interviews and help local responses. The app aims to add timely insight while keeping privacy rules tight.

What does it mean to trust these tools while keeping personal rights intact?

Is it possible to balance the benefits of contact tracing with strict privacy protections?

Global approaches

The USA worked with Apple and Google on the OS APIs and tech model. The UK moved from a centralized approach to the Apple/Google model for privacy reasons.

Some APAC countries used their own apps and policies. Those apps vary in how much data they collect and how they run.

What lessons can we learn from other countries' app rollouts?

User experience and features

The app focuses on logging meaningful proximity events, not on tracking location. Users may see alerts, isolation timers, and links to public health guidance.

• Opt‑in Exposure Notifications activation
• Bluetooth logging with rotating anonymous identifiers
• Optional reporting of a positive test via public health steps
• Fast alerts for recent close contacts
• Clear privacy controls and consent prompts

Can users join tracing and still keep personal privacy today?

How do you feel about sharing your exposure data for collective safety?

Practical step:

Keep your phone updated so the Exposure Notifications setting is available. Turn on Bluetooth and follow the app setup prompts.

• Check OS updates regularly.
• Enable Bluetooth and leave it on when active.
• Download the government app when it becomes available.
• Review privacy choices and consent prompts carefully.
• Report positive tests through the app if public health directs you.

Data use and safeguards

Designers limit what leaves phones to protect identity and privacy. Data retention rules aim to delete tokens after a short time.

Plans include legal limits on use and clear oversight. The goal is to let public health act without widening surveillance.

Will clear rules, strong oversight, and audits build public trust?

Systems that work together and equity

Phones, public health apps, and health teams must be systems that work together. That lets alerts reach the right people at the right time.

Officials may also fund non‑phone alternatives so vulnerable groups benefit equally. Law and clear deletion rules help build trust.

How do we ensure fair access and help for all communities?

Imagined use cases

Commuter alert

A commuter gets an alert after a busy bus ride. They self‑isolate, get tested, and warn housemates quickly.

That fast action can cut short chains of transmission. Aggregated trends can also guide targeted testing or vaccination drives.

Event notification

At a large outdoor event, an attendee receives an exposure alert. They seek testing promptly and help organizers improve on‑site safety measures.

Family gathering

After a reunion, family members get notifications if an attendee tests positive. Quick alerts let families act quickly and reduce further spread risk.

Travel alert

A traveler learns of exposure from a recent flight and is notified promptly. They monitor symptoms and follow local health advice to limit spread at the destination.

School setting

In schools, notifications warn students and staff who had close contact. Fast notice helps manage outbreaks quickly and keep learning environments safe.

Long‑term effects

Tools like this may lead to laws on data collection, use, and retention. Lawmakers will likely require privacy‑by‑default design and set deletion limits.

Same rules across countries and civil‑liberties checks can help teams coordinate without widening surveillance. Equity measures can fund access for all citizens.

What lasting impacts could this technology have on our daily life?

Conclusion

In a digital age, can we use tech without giving up core privacy rights? Clear rules, opt‑in consent, and strict deletion keep use limited and respectful.

Canada’s choice of Shopify and BlackBerry shows a push for privacy‑first tracing. The approach uses OS APIs, rotating codes, and on‑device matching to limit data flow.

Update your phone, enable Exposure Notifications, and review privacy settings when the app launches. These steps help speed alerts and protect communities.

FAQ

How does the app protect privacy?

The app uses short, rotating codes and on‑device matching. Only limited tokens leave a phone if a user opts in.

Will the app drain my battery?

It uses Bluetooth Low Energy, designed for low power use. Careful engineering aims to keep battery impact small.

Do I have to share my name or location?

No. The system avoids names and precise location data. Alerts come from matching anonymous codes, not from location logs.

How does reporting a positive test work?

Public health gives steps to verify a test and share keys. Users follow those steps to notify contacts anonymously.

Source: Reuters coverage on Canada’s Shopify and BlackBerry contact tracing app initiative