Google maps usage in contract tracing
Hemant made this Official Information request to Ministry of Health
The request was successful.
      From: Hemant
      
    
    Dear Ministry of Health,
The information that google automatically captures (this can be seen by going to (https://timeline.google.com/), even if GPS is turned off is extensive, and could help with identifying locations that contacts have forgotten they went to.
As such, as part of the Contact tracing efforts for Covid 19, are users Google Maps histories requested, and if not why not?
Yours faithfully,
Hemant
        From: OIA Requests
      
    
    Kia ora Hemant,
 
 
Thank you for your email. The Contact Tracing Team work in collaboration
 with the Case to recall their movements during their infectious period,
 utilising a number of resources as part of the Case Investigation process.
 This includes reviewing any contact tracing apps, financial records, or
 general tracking apps including Google Maps.
 
Under section 28(3) of the Act you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to
 review any decisions made under this request. The Ombudsman may be
 contacted by email at: [1][email address] or by calling 0800
 802 602.
 
Ngā mihi 
 
OIA Services Team 
  
[2]Ministry of Health information releases 
[3]Unite against COVID-19 
 
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Hemant <[FOI #16719 email]>
 Sent: Sunday, 12 September 2021 19:14
 To: OIA Requests <[email address]>
 Subject: Official Information request - Google maps usage in contract
 tracing
 
Dear Ministry of Health,
The information that google automatically captures (this can be seen by
 going to
 (https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...
 even if GPS is turned off is extensive, and could help with identifying
 locations that contacts have forgotten they went to.
As such, as part of the Contact tracing efforts for Covid 19, are users
 Google Maps histories requested, and if not why not?
Yours faithfully,
Hemant
-------------------------------------------------------------------
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References
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 1. mailto:[email address]
 2. https://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministr...
 3. https://covid19.govt.nz/
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 5. https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...
      From: Hemant
      
    
    Dear OIA Requests,
Thank you for your reply - that's great to know :).
Yours sincerely,
Hemant
        From: COVID-19 Response
      
    
    Kia ora Hemant,
On behalf of the Ministry of Health, thank you for taking the time to
 contact us. We are currently receiving high volumes of enquiries and are
 working at pace to ensure we respond to everyone however we do apologise
 for the delay in response.
 
We're sorry that we haven't been able to get back to you sooner however
 we reached out to our contact tracing team for assistance with answering
 your query below:
As such, as part of the Contact tracing efforts for Covid 19, are users
 Google Maps histories requested, and if not why not?
* Case investigation is undertaken by PHUs, who use many different
 sources from contacts to get their information. 
Once again, thank you for your email and patience during these times.
 Ngâ mihi nui 
 COVID-19 Response and Co-ordination Team
 Ministry of Health
 Do your bit to keep New Zealand COVID free; practice good hygiene
 (includes washing your hands often and coughing into your
 elbow), sign into places using the NZ COVID Tracer app, if you’re
 unwell stay home and get tested.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Hemant <[FOI #16719 email]>
 Sent: Sunday, 12 September 2021 19:14
 To: OIA Requests <[email address]>
 Subject: Official Information request - Google maps usage in contract
 tracing
  
 Dear Ministry of Health,
The information that google automatically captures (this can be seen by
 going to
 (https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...
 even if GPS is turned off is extensive, and could help with identifying
 locations that contacts have forgotten they went to.
As such, as part of the Contact tracing efforts for Covid 19, are users
 Google Maps histories requested, and if not why not?
Yours faithfully,
Hemant
-------------------------------------------------------------------
This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
 [FOI #16719 email]
Is [Ministry of Health request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests
 to Ministry of Health? If so, please contact us using this form:
 [1]https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
 the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
 [2]https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...
If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
 ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
 page.
show quoted sections
This e-mail message has been scanned for Viruses and Content and cleared
 by the Ministry of Health's Content and Virus Filtering Gateway
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References
Visible links
 1. https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...
 2. https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...
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