France Rebrands Contact Tracing App to Increase Downloads

The French contact-tracing application has undergone a change in name; it is no longer known as StopCovid, but now as TousAntiCovid, translating to “everyone against Covid”. The French government intends to broaden the app’s function beyond simple contact tracing – or, at the very least, to be recognized for more than just that single purpose.

Currently, TousAntiCovid represents a rebranding effort rather than a fundamental shift in functionality. While the app’s name has been updated and the user interface has seen some modifications, its primary feature remains consistent.

StopCovid did not achieve widespread success. Initially, the effectiveness of contact-tracing applications in alerting individuals who may have been exposed to someone with a positive COVID-19 diagnosis was uncertain. Furthermore, even considering this uncertainty, the app failed to gain significant traction among the population.

Following its launch in June, the French government provided an update on StopCovid after three weeks: 1.9 million individuals had downloaded the application, yet it generated only 14 notifications.

Four months later, StopCovid/TousAntiCovid has been downloaded and activated by approximately 2.8 million users. However, only 13,651 individuals reported a positive COVID-19 result within the app, resulting in 823 notifications. In many instances, even with a positive test result, those who may have been exposed are not informed.

This has prompted the current update. Existing users will receive TousAntiCovid through a software update, utilizing the same App Store and Play Store listing. Upon initial launch, users are guided through a setup process focused on contact-tracing features – activating notifications and Bluetooth, for example.

France employs its own contact-tracing system, known as ROBERT. This system utilizes a centralized architecture developed through collaboration between researchers and private companies. The server assigns each user a unique, permanent identifier (a pseudonym) and transmits a series of temporary IDs to their device, derived from the permanent ID.

Similar to other contact-tracing applications, TousAntiCovid utilizes Bluetooth Low Energy technology to compile a record of other app users with whom you have been in close proximity for a sustained period. When using the app, it gathers the temporary IDs of nearby app users.

If you receive a positive COVID-19 diagnosis while using the app, your testing center will provide you with a QR code or a sequence of letters and numbers. You can then choose to input this code into the app to share the list of temporary IDs associated with individuals you may have contacted over the preceding two weeks.

The server then identifies these temporary IDs as potentially belonging to individuals who may have been exposed to the coronavirus. The server also assigns each user a risk assessment score. If this score exceeds a defined threshold, the user will receive a notification, recommending testing and adherence to official guidelines.

However, the app now includes additional features. Users can access current data regarding the pandemic in France, such as the number of new cases reported in the last 24 hours and the number of patients in intensive care units. A news feed has also been added, summarizing current regulations and restrictions in France.

Furthermore, the app provides links to helpful resources, including a service for locating testing centers and a link to obtain an exemption certificate during curfew hours. Selecting these links will open your web browser and direct you to the relevant official websites.

The government plans to continually refine the app and enhance its appeal. By transforming TousAntiCovid into a central information resource on your phone, it may be possible to increase its adoption rate.