Private Kit is an open source, privacy-first contact tracing app for iOS and Android. The intent is to enable contact tracing, which is important for reducing the spread of diseases like COVID-19, while also assuring user privacy (which, over the long term, will likely engender more compliance and participation from the public).
The creators of the app have a whitepaper explaining the rationale behind Private Kit.
We’re building the next generation of secure location logging to preserve privacy and #flattenthecurve
Location logs provide time-stamped records of where users have been, allowing them to share information with health officials accurately and quickly. This helps support contact tracing efforts to slow the spread of the virus.
What’s truly special about Private Kit, though, is its privacy protection. Data never leaves users’ devices without their password entry and explicit consent. The location log generated by Private Kit cannot be accessed from outside the user’s device, meaning data transfer occurs only if the user chooses to share it with the researcher.