BEAT COVID GIBRALTAR

Privacy Notice

Purpose of this notice

HM Government of Gibraltar’s Digital Services Team (We, Us, and Our in this privacy notice) in collaboration with the Gibraltar Health Authority (“GHA”) has developed a mobile application (“BEAT COVID GIBRALTAR” or “App”) for contact tracing, as a direct response to the current Covid-19 pandemic.

This privacy notice is intended to both inform and reassure you that no personal data is used when you download and use the App. This means there is no need to provide your personal details, and we do not process any location data, or any other information, about you or your contacts.

Contact tracing has significant societal benefits; for this reason we encourage everyone to please download the App. This will be a very strong weapon in Gibraltar’s fight against the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

Only by working together can we ensure that we protect our loved ones and Gibraltar. The larger the amount of persons who download the App, the stronger the chance we have of successfully keeping infections rates in Gibraltar low.

What is contact tracing?

Contact tracing is an important part of a public health response to any virus outbreak. It is the process of identifying people who may have come into close contact with someone who has tested positive for a contagious virus (in this case Covid-19). These persons can then be advised on the measures they can take to help stop the further spread of COVID-19 (such as getting tested or self-isolating).

Traditionally, infected persons are asked to identify persons they have interacted with whilst infected or in the days leading up to their infection being diagnosed. Health practitioners would then contact those at risk to warn them of potential exposure, what steps to take and how to avoid infecting others.

This App aims to automate the process of contact tracing. Our goal is to reduce the transmission of the Covid-19 virus by immediately alerting other App users who may have been exposed to the virus.

How does the App work?

The App uses Bluetooth-based technology on your mobile phone to exchange digital handshakes with the mobile phones of other App users who have been in close contact with you. Close contact consists of another App user who has been within 2 metres of an infected person for 15 minutes or more.

The App will consist of anonymous processing, by assigning all mobile phones that download the App a pseudo-random identifier, so that individuals are never identifiable. In this way you will never know who has tested positive, only that you have been in close contact to someone who has tested positive.

If you are diagnosed with COVID-19, the GHA will provide you with a unique code that must be entered into your mobile phone. Upon entering this code a notification will be generated by the your mobile phone and sent to all the App users who have been in close contact with you during the epidemiologically relevant period. This will consist of an anonymous notification to those App users explaining how to get in contact with the GHA.

How do we protect your data?

The App is designed with your privacy in mind. We have carefully considered guidance issued by the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority (GRA) and the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) when developing the App. The App takes no personal data from its users, making it one of the least privacy intrusive contact tracing apps available globally.

The App does not collect personal data from its users, it simply records basic anonymous metrics to measure the usage of the App and the number of exposures notified (these measures are statistical and do not relate to, or identify, any App user).

Any anonymous digital handshake exchanged by mobile phones will be automatically deleted from the App user’s device after the expiry of 14 days.

Downloading the App is completely voluntary. You can install or delete the App at any time. 

You will always be anonymous and your privacy will be protected throughout.

Your rights

The law gives you specific rights over your information, such as the right to be informed of our use of information about you, and your right to access your information.

However, we reiterate that this App does not process any personal data, and we therefore do not use, store or otherwise process any personal information about you.

If you have any concerns or questions please contact us on ContactTracing@gha.gi. Alternatively, you can contact our DPO on dpo@gibraltar.gov.gi.

You also have the right to make a complaint at any time to the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority (GRA), Gibraltar’s supervisory authority for data protection issues. You can contact them on:

•  Telephone (+350) 20074636
•  Email privacy@gra.gi

Review of this notice

We may amend this privacy notice at any time, so remember to keep up to date by checking our website every so often on www.gibraltar.gov.gi.