Most Americans will not download COVID-19 contact tracing app

A majority of Americans will not use COVID-19 contact tracing apps designed to help mitigate the potential uptick in the pandemic, according to a new survey released by the digital security provider Avira.

In a poll of 2,005 adults, 71% of respondents said they have no plans to download and use a contact tracing app. In addition, 44% expressed concern over digital privacy, 39% said the app gave a false sense of security, 37% believed the apps would not slow the spread of COVID-19 and 35% cited their distrust of the app providers.

Respondents ages 55 and higher were the greatest percentage of app boycotters (47%), with lesser levels of skepticism recorded among those ages 45-54 (17%) and 25-34 (15%). The only age group more willing to use the apps than not were those ages 35-44.

Women were far less willing to download the technology than men (18% to 40%). Among professions, IT workers were most willing to download the app (64%) while government and healthcare workers had the lowest percentage (39%).

“We believe these survey results send a clear signal to both app creators and the government,” said Travis Witteveen, CEO of Avira. “COVID contact tracing apps could fail before they launch if developers don”™t communicate to the public how they plan to protect people”™s privacy.”