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| WHO and game companies launch #PlayApartTogether to promote physical distancing - VentureBeat Posted: 28 Mar 2020 03:21 PM PDT The World Health Organization (WHO) and the video game industry have teamed up on #PlayApartTogether, a promotional campaign that encourages healthy physical distancing by bringing special events, exclusives, activities, rewards, and inspiration to some of the most popular games in the world. Some of the industry's biggest and most powerful companies — from Activision Blizzard to Zynga — are participating, with billions of users represented That signals a big mainstream moment for games, which have become even more popular as people are isolated in their homes without the chance to engage in physical entertainment. And it's also a turnaround for the WHO, which last year branded "gaming disorder" as an illness that can be clinically treated. That move was greeted with dismay by game companies, but prompted a lot of discussion about addiction. Ray Chambers, United States Ambassador to the WHO, said in a statement that, during the challenging time of the coronavirus, he applauds the "ingenuity of partners from all sectors who are stepping up to assist in efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic." The WHO is enlisting the global gaming industry to reach millions with important messages to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The games sector will launch #PlayApartTogether, an initiative to inform and encourage the vast network of users to follow the WHO's important health guidelines, including physical distancing, hand hygiene, and other powerful preventive actions to slow the spread of COVID-19.
 Through this unifying hashtag, companies will encourage conversation within their games and on social media. Chambers added, "I thank the games industry for stepping up to help bring an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope this campaign to #PlayApartTogether encourages even more people to stay safe and healthy while they help flatten the curve and save lives." In a statement, Bernard Kim, president of publishing at Zynga, said his company's mission of connecting the world through games has taken on a new dimension during the global crisis. He said Zynga is honored to support WHO's work and provide "our players with a support system during this period of physical distancing. The #PlayApartTogether initiative activates positivity and community that can help us commit to the urgent task at hand." The participants include Activision Blizzard, Kabam, Snap Games, Amazon Appstore, Maysalward, Twitch, Big Fish Games, Playtika, Unity, Dirtybit, Pocket Gems, Wooga, Glu Mobile, Riot Games, YouTube Gaming, Jam City, SciPlay, and Zynga.  Above: #PlayApartTogether will promote playing games while physically apart. Image Credit: WHO Here are comments from each company:
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| Posted: 29 Mar 2020 05:37 AM PDT US government is tracking Americans' cell phones to see how they move and spread coronavirus during the pandemic
Government officials across the United States are using cellphones of millions in the country to get a better understanding of how the virus is spreading. The federal government through Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state and local governments have started reviewing data about the presence and movement of people from certain geographic areas using cellphone data. The data comes from the mobile advertising industry, people familiar with the matter explained to the Wall Street Journal. Approximately 500 cities could eventually be monitored in a portal that will be accessible by federal, state and local officials to help implement epidemic response.  The federal government through Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state and local governments have started reviewing data about the presence and movement of people from certain geographic areas using cellphone data. Prospect Park on Friday Void from the data is sensitive data like cellphone user's name. The goal of the portal would be to help officials learn how COVID-19 is spreading across the United States. It would show which destinations are still being frequented by large crowds that could help spread the coronavirus, people familiar with the matter explained. For instance, one source shared that researchers learned that a huge number of New Yorkers had been visiting Brooklyn's Prospect Part and handed the information over to authorities. Parks have been posted with advisory warnings but they have not been closed across the city. The data would also potentially show how much the general public is complying with stay-at-home or shelter-in-place orders, according to experts familiar with the matter.  Approximately 500 cities could eventually be monitored in a portal that will be accessible by federal, state and local officials to help implement epidemic response It can also measure the economic impact the coronavirus has by showing the drop-off in retail customers at stores and decreases in automobile miles driven. A combo of tech companies and data providers have been assisting the CDC in providing them the analyzed location data. The CDC nor the White House responded to the Wall Street Journal for comment. The government commissioned programs calling for mobile phone location data are raising concerns about privacy protections. Wolfie Christl, a privacy activist, said the location-data industry was 'covidwashing' what are generally privacy-invading products. 'In the light of the emerging disaster, it may be appropriate to make use of aggregate analytics based on consumer data in some cases, even if data is being gathered secretly or illegally by companies,' added Christl.  A combo of tech companies and data providers have been assisting the CDC in providing them the analyzed location data  Wolfie Christl, a privacy activist, said the location-data industry was 'covidwashing' what are generally privacy-invading products 'As true anonymization of location data is nearly impossible, strong legal safeguards are mandatory.' Some US location data companies do allow public access and have already allowed for government agencies to access them. LotaData, a San Francisco-based company, launched a portal analyzing movement patters in Italy that could help officials plan for plans to implement in Spain, California and New York. Unacast launched a 'social distancing scoreboard' that uses location data to share with places how well their communities are doing with following stay-at=home orders. Foursquare Labs Inc. is also in talks with numerous states on how to make use of their data.  Unacast launched a 'social distancing scoreboard' that uses location data to share with places how well their communities are doing with following stay-at=home orders The move even extends to research institutions as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has launced a project to track volunteer COVID-19 patients through a mobile phone app.  There are 123,778 cases of the coronavirus in the United States So far in the United States, data used has mostly come from the advertising industry as the mobile marketing industry has billions of geographic data points on cell phone devices across the country. Most come from applications users have installed on their phones that allow the tracking of one's location. The industry is mostly unregulated under privacy laws that are currently in existence as consumers have signed off on tracking and because most data does not contain sensitive information. Cellphone carriers also have access to geolocation data. That data is protected under much stricter privacy protection under US law than in most other places. Read more: |
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