Qatar is making it mandatory for all its residents to install its coronavirus tracking app when leaving the house — or face a hefty fine and even jail time.
Event Location
Qatar, Qatar
Start Time
22 May 2020, 12:00 AM
End Time
31 May 2020, 12:00 AM
Qatar government forces residents to install its coronavirus tracker — or face the consequences
Introduced earlier in April, Ehteraz was designed to notify people if they’ve been in close contact with anyone exposed to COVID-19. Although installing the app was initially optional, the government has changed its tune.
“All citizens and residents are obligated to install the Ehteraz app on smartphones when leaving the house for any reason,” state-run news agency QNA revealed in a tweet. “This decision is effective from Friday, 22 May, 2020 until further notice.”
Ehteraz has been downloaded over 100,000 times on Android alone, according to Google Playstore data. The app is also available for iOS, but Apple doesn’t share download data on its App Store.
The application assists in identifying disease transmission chains, alerting individuals, and stakeholders to expedite the provision of medical support and prioritizing testing, according to H.E. Lolwah Al Khater, the Official Spokesperson of the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management during a press conference.
That said, Ehteraz has also drawn criticism from users concerned about their privacy. Among other things, the app collects location data and requires access to users’ media files, which seems rather invasive.
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