State launches new COVID-19 mobile app, allows health officials to track location

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE): State officials unveiled a new mobile app available now, meant to provide Rhode Islanders with resources all in one place at their fingertips.

However, there is also an optional location feature on  “CRUSH COVID RI” that the Health Department is hoping will allow them to collect information used for contact tracing.

The app creates a map of places you’ve been for 10 minutes or more. It will also record the date and duration.

“If you do enable the location diary, the data around where you’ve been is stored on your phone only,” Governor Gina Raimondo said. “That’s really important.”

If you test positive, the department would ask whether you want to share that data in order to help them find locations and people you may have been in contact with.

“This is completely your choice,” Raimondo said. “No one is going to make you download this app. No one is going to make you turn on the diary feature. However, I am asking you to do this and please download the app and enable the location diary feature.”

Raimondo said the data will only go to the Department of Health without your name, solely for contact tracing.

A person’s location is only tracked up to 20 days, and information before that is automatically deleted.