What do you have to lose? -- X'għandkom x'titilfu?

 

After Donald Trump was elected President of the United States of America, I had decided to stop writing about him and the astonishing things he says or writes.

 

I have to confess up front my difficulty in offering a balanced judgement on this particular person, something I usually keep front of mind when writing this column.  This is because I feel disgusted every time I hear or read about the latest idiocy he'd have decided to pronounce to the world, and unfortunately there are sometimes more than one in a day.

 

When I remember the barefaced lies even about trivial matters, speaking on impulse at the spur of the moment even on subjects of importance, his nepotism, the fact of using his position to the financial advantage of his commercial organisations, his attacks on his own country's institutions, global cooperation organisations and also his country's allies, the attitude of 'I'm all right and f*&^ you Jack', a shiver runs down my spine.

 

Lately someone has told me, with conviction akin to divine revelation, that Trump, warts and all, has been sent by God to bring Him back closer to Americans.  It's not the first time I've heard this, generally from conservative Christians, of whom there are many in that country, who Trump has had considerable success in entrapping, by doing whatever was necessary to appoint two conservative judges to the American Supreme Court which is now considered to be weighted in favour of conservatives.

 

If I eventually conclude that Trump really is God's envoy, I can promise you I'll renounce Christianity, ignore atheism and become a follower of Satan.

 

The subject which has prompted me to write with this length about Trump, today before that much awaited day either this year or in four years time when the whole world would have gotten rid of a cancer as big as the Statue of Liberty, is the coronavirus situation in the USA.

 

The story starts with the CDC - Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, which usually is at the forefront in the global fight against the pandemic, as it was in the Ebola outbreak of a few years back, that Trump's administration has done everything in its power to reduce its funding and interrupt its work, including disrupting the work it was doing in China.1

 

It continues when the first infections happened in January, and by 27th February there were 15 cases.  Then, Trump declared that the risk to the American people was “very low” and boasted that “whatever happens we're totally prepared”.2  Compare this puerile boasting with the latest statistic from the CDC about coronavirus cases, with 1.3 million infections and just under 81 thousand deaths by 12th May 2020, and currently 18,000 infections and 1000 deaths a day.3

 

Some time ago, there were reports that the US was seeking to obtain a monopoly on development of a coronavirus vaccine that was being developed in Germany by the company CureVac.  This move was immediately resisted by the German administration.4  Could you imagine a vaccine be developed for this deadly disease but ends up being monopolised by a country due to having a lot of money, instead of the whole of humanity being the beneficiary?

 

It does give a new meaning to the slogan 'America first'.

 

American health officials have often encouraged citizens to take precautions, and this seems to be applicable to everybody, except Trump.  In these days, the White House has ruled that everybody working there needs to wear a mask, but not Trump.5  Another day, Trump toured a factory in Arizona making masks, but he and his entourage did not don one.6

 

During that visit to the mask factory, the Guns and Roses song 'Live and let die' was overheard.  This title seems to me to be quite an accurate description to the attitude of the President and his administration, which is now encouraging the states to start removing restrictions similar to those put in place by many countries around the world to try and stem the advance of the virus.

 

Dr Anthony Fauci, the leading expert on infectious diseases in his country, warned on 12th May that there would be serious consequences if the US reopened its economy too quickly.7  Nevertheless, the Trump administration first announced that the committee coordinating the response to the virus was going to disband, and the next day declared it would continue, but would concentrate on security and the reopening of the country.  Trump conceded that there will be people who would be badly affected, a metaphor for dying.8

 

Some time ago, an American study found that American deaths from the virus have been predominantly black, a result of inequalities in American society, which leads to their greater vulnerability on many levels compared to other groups.  Who knows, perhaps Trump calculated that if many black people die, these would have voted Democrat anyway, and so would be to his benefit in the presidential election come November.

 

Perhaps, after all, it is true that Trump will have the effect of getting God closer to Americans, but sending the latter early to face their Maker!

 

Before the 2016 election, Trump rhetorically asked African-Americans in his country, in an attempt to consider voting for him, “What do you have to lose”?9  When the economy is not working for you, this is quite a powerful message, as anyone drowning is likely to clutch at any straw promise that provides hope, however implausible or improbable as it may be.

 

Today, perhaps Americans can answer this questions.

 

“Our lives”!

 

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Ftit wara li kien elett President tal-Istati Uniti Donald Trump, kont iddeċidejt li nieqaf nikteb fuqu u fuq l-affarijiet tat-tbelliħ li jgħid jew jikteb.

 

Ikolli nqerr magħkom millewwel d-diffikultà tiegħi li noffri ġudizzju bilanċjat fuq dan il-bniedem partikulari, xi ħaġa li s-soltu nżommha quddiem nett meta nkun qed nikteb din il-kolonna.  Dan għaliex inħoss diżgust kbir kull darba li nisma' jew naqra bl-aħħar ċuċata li jkun fettillu jħabbar lid-dinja, li diżgrazzjatament ġieli jkun hemm iktar minn waħda kuljum.  

 

X'ħin niftakar fil-gideb sfaċċjat li jagħmel anke fuq affarijiet trivjali, jitkellem kif ifettillu dak il-ħin anke meta s-suġġett ikun ta' importanza kbira, in-nepotiżmu tiegħu, il-fatt li qed juża l-pożizzjoni tiegħu biex iħaxxen but l-organizzazzjonijiet kummerċjali tiegħu, l-attakki tiegħu fuq l-istituzzjonijiet ta' pajjiżu, l-organizzazzonijiet globali ta' kooperazzjoni u wkoll allejati ta' pajjiżu, l-attitudni ta' 'jien l-ewwel u alabiebi minn ħaddieħor', ngħidilkom li jqabbadni l-bard.

 

Dan l-aħħar xi ħadd qalli, b'konvinzjoni ta' min kellu rivelazzjoni divina, li Trump, bid-difetti kollha tiegħu, huwa l-mibgħut ta' Alla biex jerġa' jqarrbU mal-Amerikani.  Din mhix l-ewwel darba li kont smajtha, ġeneralment mingħand Insara konservattivi, li hemm ħafna minnhom f'dak il-pajjiż, li Trump kellu suċċess mhux ħażin li jonsobhom billi ra x'għamel biex jaħtar żewġ imħallfin konservattivi fil-Qorti Suprema Amerikana li issa meqjusa li xxaqleb lejn il-konservattivi.

 

Jekk xi darba nikkonkludi li Trump verament huwa l-mibgħut ta' Alla, nista' nwiegħdkom minn issa li niċħad il-Kristjaneżmu, ninjora l-ateiżmu u nissieħeb mas-Satanisti.

 

Is-suġġett li ġiegħlni nitkellem tant fit-tul fuq Trump, issa qabel dik il-ġurnata tant mistennija din is-sena jew erba' snin oħra fejn id-dinja kollha tkun ħelset minn kankru kbir daqs l-istatwa tal-Libertà, hija s-sitwazzjoni tal-koronavirus tal-Istati Uniti.

 

L-istorja tibda biċ-Ċentru għall-Kontroll u l-Prevenzjoni tal-Mard (CDC - Centre for Disease Control and Prevention), li s-soltu tkun fuq quddiem nett fil-ġlieda globali kontra xi pandemija, bħal ma kienet fil-każ tal-Ebola, li l-amministrazzjoni ta' Trump għamel minn kollox biex inaqqsilha l-fondi u jagħmlilha l-bsaten fir-roti, inkluż li jfixklilha x-xogħol li kienet qiegħda tagħmel fiċ-Ċina.1

 

Imbagħad tkompli meta bdew iseħħu l-ewwel infezzjonijiet f'Jannar, u sas-27 ta' Frar kien hemm 15 il-każ.  Dakinhar, Trump stqarr li r-riskju għall-poplu Amerikan kien “baxx ħafna” u ftaħar li “jiġri x'jiġri aħna kompletament ippreparati.”2  Qabblu dan il-ftaħir pwerili mal-aħħar statistika mis-CDC dwar każijiet tal-koronavirus, b'1.3 miljun każ u ftit inqas minn 81 elf mewt fit-12 ta' Mejju 2020, u bħalissa rata ta' 18,000 infezzjoni kuljum u 1000 mewt kuljum.3

 

Ftit ilu, kien hemm rapporti li l-Istati Uniti kienet qed tfittex li tieħu monopolju fuq l-iżvilupp ta' vaċċin għall-koronavirus, li kien qed jiġi żviluppat fil-Ġermanja mill-kumpannija CureVac.  Din kienet mossa li kienet mallewwel rreżistita mill-amministrazzjoni Ġermaniża.4  Imma tistgħu timmaġinaw li jiġi żviluppat vaċċin għal din il-marda qerrieda imma jispiċċa f'monopolju ta' pajjiż wieħed għax għandu ħafna flus, minflok tibbenefika minnu l-umanità madwar id-dinja?  

 

Tagħti tifsira ġdida għas-slowgan 'l-Amerika l-ewwel'.

 

L-uffiċjali tas-saħħa Amerikani ġieli ħeġġew li ċ-ċittadini jieħdu l-prekawzjonijiet, mid-dehra din tapplika għal kulħadd, imma mhux għal Trump.  F'dawn il-ġranet, il-White House ħarġet regola li kull min jaħdem hemm irid jilbes maskra, imma mhux Trump.5  Ġurnata oħra, Trump dar fabbrika tal-maskri f'Ariżona, imma hu, u oħrajn madwaru, ma libsux waħda.6

 

Waqt dik il-mawra fil-fabbrika tal-maskri, instemgħet id-diska tal-Guns and Roses 'Live and Let Die' (Għixu u Ħallu 'l Min Imut).  Dan it-titlu jidhirli li deskrizzjoni qrib ħafna tal-likk tal-President u l-amministrazzjoni tiegħu, li issa qiegħed iħeġġeġ lill-istati biex jibdew ineħħu r-restrizzjonijiet li bħalhom saru f'ħafna pajjiżi madwar id-dinja biex jippruvaw irażżnu l-avvanz tal-virus.

 

Dr Anthony Fauci, l-iprem espert fuq il-mard infettiv ta' pajjiżu, fit-12 ta' Mejju wissa li jkun hemm konsegwenzi serji jekk l-Istati Uniti terġa tiftaħ l-ekonomija tagħha malajr wisq.7  Madankollu, l-amministrazzjoni ta' Trump l-ewwel ħabbret li l-kumitat li kien qiegħed jikkoordina l-ġlieda kontra l-virus kien se jagħlaq, u l-għada qal li se jkompli imma jikkonċentra fuq is-sigurtà u l-ftuħ mill-ġdid tal-pajjiż.  Trump ikkonċeda li se jkun hemm nies li jkunu affettwati ħażin, metafora għal li jispiċċaw imutu.8

 

Ftit ilu, studju Amerikan sab li l-imwiet Amerikani mill-virus huma predominantement suwed, riżultat tal-inugwaljanzi fis-soċjetà Amerikana, li jwasslu għal vulnerabbiltà ikbar tagħhom fuq ħafna livelli minn ħaddieħor.  Min jaf, forsi Trump ikkalkula li jekk imutu ħafna nies suwed, dawn kienu aktarx jivvutaw lid-Demokrati, u allura jiġi vvantaġġjat fl-elezzjonijiet presidenzjali ta' Novembru.

 

Forsi, wara kollox, veru li Trump ikollu l-effett li jqarreb 'l Alla mal-Amerikani, billi jibgħat lil tal-aħħar bikrin għand il-Ħallieq!

 

Ftit qabel l-elezzjoni tal-2016, Trump staqsa retorikament lill-Afrikani-Amerikani ta' pajjiżu, f'attentat biex jikkunsidraw jivvutawlu, “X'għandkom x'titilfu?”9  Meta s-sistema ekonomika ma tkunx qed tgħin lil bniedem, dan huwa argument b'saħħtu, u min ikun qed jegħreq, aktarx jiggranfa ma kull wiegħda li ttih ftit tama, implawsibbli jew improbabbli daqs kemm tista' tkun.

 

Illum, forsi l-Amerikani jistgħu inwieġbu għal din il-mistoqsija.

 

“Ħajjitna”!

 

 

1https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/mar/24/trump-cuts-undermine-coronavirus-containment-cdc-watchdog-report, retrieved 13/5/2020

2https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-02-26/trump-seeks-to-ease-virus-concerns-as-lawmakers-fault-response, retrieved 13/5/2020

3https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html, retrieved 13/5/2020

4https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/trump-tries-to-lure-vaccine-maker-to-us-from-germany-20200316-p54aby.html, retrieved 13/5/2020

5https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/white-house-implements-stringent-mask-policy--but-not-for-trump/2020/05/11/6fe9ccbc-93a2-11ea-82b4-c8db161ff6e5_story.html, retrieved 13/5/2020

6https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/06/trump-live-and-let-die-mask-factory-video, retrieved 13/5/2020

7https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fauci-serious-consequences-united-states-reopening-warning/, retrieved 13/5/2020

8https://www.ecowatch.com/trump-coronavirus-task-force-2645931668.html?rebelltitem=3#rebelltitem3, retrieved 13/5/2020

9https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/trump-african-american-voters-what-do-you-have-lose-n634816, retrieved 13/5/2020

1https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/mar/24/trump-cuts-undermine-coronavirus-containment-cdc-watchdog-report, retrieved 13/5/2020

2https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-02-26/trump-seeks-to-ease-virus-concerns-as-lawmakers-fault-response, retrieved 13/5/2020

3https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html, retrieved 13/5/2020

4https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/trump-tries-to-lure-vaccine-maker-to-us-from-germany-20200316-p54aby.html, retrieved 13/5/2020

5https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/white-house-implements-stringent-mask-policy--but-not-for-trump/2020/05/11/6fe9ccbc-93a2-11ea-82b4-c8db161ff6e5_story.html, retrieved 13/5/2020

6https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/06/trump-live-and-let-die-mask-factory-video, retrieved 13/5/2020

7https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fauci-serious-consequences-united-states-reopening-warning/, retrieved 13/5/2020

8https://www.ecowatch.com/trump-coronavirus-task-force-2645931668.html?rebelltitem=3#rebelltitem3, retrieved 13/5/2020

9https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/trump-african-american-voters-what-do-you-have-lose-n634816, retrieved 13/5/2020

Big Brother -- Ħuna l-kbir

 

Probably some of you are familiar with the 1984 book by George Orwell (real name Eric Arthur Blair), which was an important book in English literature courses at secondary school in my time.  This was about a fictitious environment, in a future imagined when written (in 1948), where the inhabitants are under the continuous surveillance of cameras spread out almost everywhere.

 

Today we can say that imagined environment was anything but fictitions, as it has come into being with the huge advances in information and telecommunication technology, not too distant from the date which names the book.

 

The use of security cameras in many road corners, initially as a deterrent in commercial shops, then in road and now in houses, is well known.  Today almost everyone carries a means of telecommunication, which has at least one camera, more probably two, which in fact is a computer more sophisticated than the biggest computer of some decades ago, which does far more than to allow you to call your mother-in-law.  One can easily install on his/her mobile phone a surveillance app, or it can be installed by a nefarious developer without your knowledge when you install something else that is merely a smokescreen.  The same can occur on a computer at home.

 

I also have to mention the facility by which commercial and state organisations can, if they wish, maintain information about users of their services, and build a detailed profile of just about anybody, with high precision.

 

Where can this lead?  Perhaps the country which has taken the surveillance of its citizens to its most advanced stage is China, which has a system with which persons are recognised through their physical characteristics while walking in the street, be immediately classified with a number which indicates their 'trustworthiness', based on which decisions are taken automatically, for example whether they are allowed to buy a train ticket or be given a service.1

 

In no way is China the only country undertaking this type of surveillance.  The Snowden revelations have shown that even a country that boasts of freedom like the United States tries to conduct surveillance on every type of communication around the world, and conceal the fact that it is doing so.2

 

All of this is being said due to a new app that has been launced in Australia with the aim of helping in the fight against the deadly virus COVID-19.  This app, called COVIDSafe, which is software that is insalled on a smartphone, takes note of other smartphones that are closeby, estimates their distance away, and keeps a log of them if this distance is shorter than 1.5 metres (there is still some confusion whether the recommendation for social distancing is for one and a half or two metres).

 

It is interesting that this log is made if the distance is less than the prescribed amount for fifteen minites, and not just for a moment, or at least this is what is written on the Health Department's website.

 

There has been some criticism and fear that this is another step in the nibbling away of personal freedoms, especially after the Australian parliament had passed a law just before the federal election of 2019 requiring telecommunications and information technology companies to provide means by which messages made secret through cryptography could be opened.

 

To mitigate this fear, the Australian government has promised that the app has been developed for information to be primarily held on the smartphone of participants who would have the right to accept or otherwise to pass this on to the Health Department if they are found to be infected with the virus.  In this case, the information would consist of a list of mobile numbers that were too close to the infected person, and these would then receive a message that they (rather their owners) had been exposed to the disease, to take recommended steps for their own health.

 

The government also said that the information would be protected by cryptography, be only used for purposes of fighting the virus, and those caught accessing information for other purpose would be criminally sanctioned.3  These intentions are all positive although by themselves are no guarantee no abuse will occur.

 

One example is the app being given an identity that changes ever two hours and be encrypted, however one still needs to enter the phone's number, which by itself is an identity.  Also with powers the government has to break cryptography, now that the app is being developed by an agency of government itself, the value of the cryptography is reduced.

 

I have to add I wasn't much impressed on learning that when information departs from the mobile phone to the government, this will be held on servers of Amazon's data centres in Sydney.  Amazon is a giant US company, and so is subject to US law which has wide powers to compel companies like Amazon to provide access to this data to US authorities.

 

Although the Amazon cloud is certified for securely hosting information for government, it seems that the original contract also foresaw the cryptographic keys being held in the same cloud, something not recommended for recurity reasons.4  It seems that after this choice was criticised, the government is looking to remedy this.

 

In other words, there is a not unfounded level of concern for the situation with this app, from many who are au courant with the subject, and mine too.  Nevertheless, I have to say I have decided to participate in the scheme, notwithstanding the fear of some abuse.  If participation helps to identify at an early stage who might have been exposed to this deadly virus, and leads to safeguard someone's health or life, I think the benefit outweighs the risk.

 

I've installed it, have you?

 

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Aktarx uħud minnkom huma familjari mal-kbieb 1984 ta' George Orwell (jew ismu proprja Eric Arthur Blair), li kien ktieb importanti fil-korsijiet tal-letteratura Ingliża tal-iskola sekondarja ta' żmieni.  Dan kien jittratta ambjent fittizju, fil-futur immaġinat ta' meta nkiteb (fl-1948), fejn l-abitanti jkunu dejjem taħt sorveljanza ta' kameras mifruxa kważi kullimkien.

 

Illum nistgħu ngħidu li dan l-ambjent immaġinat ma kien fittizju xejn, għax ġie fis-seħħ bl-avvanzi enormi tat-teknoloġija tal-informatika u tat-telekomunikazzjoni, mhux 'il bogħod wisq mid-data li hija l-isem tal-ktieb.

 

L-użu ta' kameras tas-sigurtà f'ħafna rkejjen tat-toroq, fil-bidu bħala deterrent f'ħwienet kummerċjali, imbagħad fit-toroq u issa fid-djar, huwa magħruf sew.  Illum kważi kulħadd iġorr miegħu mezz tat-telekomunikazzjoni, li għandu mill-inqas kamera waħda, u iktar probabbli tnejn, li fil-fatt huwa kompjuter sofistikat iktar mill-ikbar kompjuter ta' xi għexieren ta' snin ilu, li altru milli jħallik biss iċċempel lill-kunjata.  Wieħed faċilment jista' jistalla fuq il-mowbajl tiegħu applikazzjoni (app) ta' sorvelja, jew jiġi stallat bil-moħbi fuq dak tas-sieħeb/sieħba jew xi wild, jew jekk niġu għal dan, jiġi stallat minn żviluppatur bla skrupli mingħajr ma' tkun taf meta tistalla xi ħaġa oħra li tkun biss maskra.  L-istess jista' jsir fuq kompjuter tad-dar.

 

Ikolli nsemmi wkoll il-faċilità li biha organizzazzjonijiet kummerċjali u statali jistgħu, jekk iridu, iżommu informazzjoni fuq l-utenti tas-servizzi tagħhom, u jibnu profil dettaljat ta' kulħadd, bi preċiżjoni kbira.

 

Fejn tista' twassal din?  Forsi l-iktar pajjiż li ħa s-sorvelja taċ-ċittadini tiegħu għal stadju avvanzat huwa ċ-Ċina, li għandu sistema li biha l-persuni jiġu magħrufa minn persunithom waqt li mexjin fit-triq, jiġu dlonk ikklassifikati b'numru li jindika kemm huma 'ta' min jafdahom' u abbażi ta' hekk jittieħdu deċiżjonijiet awtomatiċi fuq jekk per eżempju jistgħux jixtru biljett tal-ferrovija jew jingħataw servizz.1

 

Bl-ebda mod mhi ċ-Ċina l-uniku pajjiż li qed jagħmel dan it-tip ta' sorvelja.  Ir-rivelazzjonijiet ta' Snowden urew li anke pajjiż li jiftaħar bil-libertà bħall-Istati Uniti jipprova jissorvelja kull tip ta' komunikazzjoni madwar id-dinja u jaħbi l-fatt li qed jagħmel dan.1

 

Dan kollu qed jingħad minħabba app ġdida li għadha kif ġiet varata fl-Awstralja bl-għan li tgħin fil-ġlieda kontra l-virus qerried COVID-19.  Din l-app, imsemmija COVIDSafe, li hija softwer li jiġi stallat fuq mowbajl, xogħolha hu li jieħu nota ta' mowbajls oħra li jkunu fil-qrib, jagħmel stima ta' kemm ikunu 'l bogħod, u jżomm nota tagħhom jekk id-distanza tkun iktar qrib minn 1.5 metru (hawn daqsxejn ta' konfużjoni jekk ir-rakkomandazzjoni ta' tbegħid soċjali hux ta' metru u nofs jew żewġ metri).  Interessanti huwa li din in-nota ssir jekk id-distanza tkun inqas minn hekk għal ħmistax-il minuta, u mhux għal mument biss, jew talinqas hekk hemm miktub fuq il-websajt tad-Dipartiment tas-Saħħa.

 

Kien hemm kritika u biża' li dan huwa pass ieħor fit-tnaqqir pass wara pass tal-libertajiet personali, speċjalment wara li l-parlament Awstraljan kien għadda l-liġi ftit qabel l-elezzjoni federali tal-2019 li teżiġi li l-kumpanniji tat-telekomunikazzjoni u tat-teknoloġija tal-informazzjoni biex jipprovdu mezzi li bihom ikunu jistgħu jiftħu messaġġi magħmulin sigrieti bil-kriptografija.

 

Biex inaqqas din il-biża', il-gvern Awstraljan wiegħed li l-app hija żviluppata sabiex l-informazzjoni tkun miżmuma primarjament fuq il-mowbajl tal-parteċipanti li jkollhom il-jedd li jaċċettaw jew le li  jgħadduha lid-Dipartiment tas-Saħħa jekk jinstabu li jkunu infettati bil-virus.  F'dak il-każ, din l-informazzjoni tikkonsisti f'lista ta' numri tal-mowbajls li kienu viċin wisq tal-persuna infettata, u għalhekk jirċievu messaġġ li ġew esposti għal din il-marda, biex jittieħdu passi rakkomandati fuq is-saħħa tagħhom.

 

Il-gvern qal ukoll li l-informazzjoni tiġi protetta bil-kriptografija, li tintuża biss għall-iskopijiet ta' ġlieda kontra l-virus, u min jinqabad jaċċessa l-informazzjoni għal skopijiet oħra ikollu sanzjonijiet kriminali.2  Dawn l-intenzjonijiet huma kollha pożittivi għalkemm minnhom infushom mhuma l-ebda garanzija li abbuż ma jsirx.

Eżempju wieħed huwa li l-app jingħata identità li tinbidel kull sagħtejn u tingħadda mill-kriptografija, imma xorta wieħed irid idaħħal in-numru tal-mowbajl, li minnu nnifsu huwa identità.  Ukoll bil-poteri li diġà għandu biex jikser il-kriptografija, u issa li l-app qed jiġi żviluppat minn aġenzija tal-gvern innifsu, il-valur tal-kriptografija huwa mnaqqas.

 

Inżid li ma kontx impressjonat meta sibt li meta l-informazzjoni titlaq minn fuq il-mowbajl għal għand il-gvern, tinżamm fuq servers fiċ-ċentri tad-data tal-Amazon fl-Awstralja.  L-Amazon hija kumpannija ġganteska Amerikana, li għalhekk hija suġġetta għal-liġi Amerikana li għandha wkoll poteri wiesgħa li ġġiegħel lil kumpanniji bħall-Amazon tagħti aċċess għal din id-data lill-awtoritajiet Amerikani.

 

Għalkemm il-klawd tal-Amazon għandha ċertifikat fis-sigurtà għall-informazzjoni tal-gvern, jidher li l-kuntratt oriġinali kellu wkoll iż-żamma taċ-ċwievet kriptografiċi fuq l-istess klawd, ħaġa li mhix rakkomandata għal raġunijiet ta' siġurtà.3  Jidher li wara li saret kritika ta' dan l-aspett, il-gvern qed jara biex jirrimedja għal dan.

 

Fi kliem ieħor, tħassib għas-sitwazzjoni hemm u mhux infundat ukoll, mingħand hafna li huma midħla tas-suġġett, u tiegħi ukoll.  Madankollu, ikolli ngħid li jien iddeċidejt li nipparteċipa fl-iskema, minkejja l-biża' ta' xi abbuż.  Jekk il-parteċipazzjoni tgħin sabiex jiġi identifikat b'mod bikri min seta' kien espost għal dan il-virus qerried, u jwassal biex jissalvagwardja s-saħħa jew anke l-ħajja ta' xi ħadd, naħseb li l-benefiċċju jirbaħ fuq il-riskju.

 

Jien stallajtu, u int?

 

 

1https://time.com/5735411/china-surveillance-privacy-issues/, retrieved 29/4/2020

2https://www.lawfareblog.com/snowden-revelations, retrieved 29/4/2020

3https://www.health.gov.au/resources/apps-and-tools/covidsafe-app, retrieved 29/4/2020

4https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-28/covidsafe-tracing-app-data-may-not-be-protected-from-usa/12189372, retrieved 29/4/2020

1https://time.com/5735411/china-surveillance-privacy-issues/, retrieved 29/4/2020

2https://www.health.gov.au/resources/apps-and-tools/covidsafe-app, retrieved 29/4/2020

3https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-28/covidsafe-tracing-app-data-may-not-be-protected-from-usa/12189372, retrieved 29/4/2020