Australia's intelligence services were found to have unintentionally gathered information from the nation’s COVIDSafe contact-tracing application during the initial six months following its release, according to a government oversight body.

The assessment, released on Monday by the Australian government’s inspector general for the intelligence community – the organization responsible for supervising the country’s intelligence and surveillance operations – indicated that the app’s data was obtained “during the legitimate gathering of other information.”

However, the oversight body stated that there was “no proof” that any agency “decoded, accessed, or utilized any data from the COVID app.”

Intelligence professionals frequently use the term “incidental collection” to refer to data that wasn't specifically targeted but was acquired as part of a broader data-gathering operation. This type of collection isn’t accidental, but rather a result of activities like monitoring fiber optic cables, which transmit a massive volume of data. A representative from the Australian government explained to a news source, which initially reported the story, that incidental collection can also occur through the “implementation of warrants.”

The report did not specify when this incidental collection ceased, but it did mention that the agencies were “actively working to ensure adherence” to the law, and that the data would be “removed as soon as possible,” without providing a definite timeframe.

Concerns that a government intelligence agency might gain access to COVID-19 contact-tracing data were a significant worry for many individuals.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous countries – and states within the U.S. – have quickly developed contact-tracing applications to assist in controlling the virus’s spread. However, these applications differ considerably in terms of their features and privacy protections.

The majority have adopted a more privacy-conscious method, utilizing Bluetooth technology to identify individuals who may have been exposed to the virus. Many have opted to use the Apple-Google framework, which has received support from numerous academics. Conversely, other nations, such as Israel and Pakistan, are employing more intrusive methods, like tracking location data, which governments can also leverage to monitor individuals’ movements. In Israel, this tracking practice was so contentious that the courts halted it.

Australia’s intelligence oversight body did not detail the specific data collected by the intelligence agencies. While the app employs Bluetooth and not location tracking, it does require users to submit certain personal details – including their name, age, postcode, and phone number – to enable the government’s health department to contact individuals who may have been in contact with someone infected.

Australia has recorded over 27,800 confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 900 fatalities since the pandemic began.