Many U.S. adults balk at their contact tracing info being used to fight COVID-19

New research suggests that public interest has played a role in the failure of contact-tracing apps to gain traction during the pandemic. A study found that approval among US adults for using consumer digital data to control COVID-19 was generally low. The scenarios with the lowest levels of approval were using social media to detect COVID-19, using cell phone data to limit movement, and mandatory participation in contact-tracing programs. Political ideology and race were factors influencing support for these measures. Achieving widespread adoption may require advertising and behavioral nudges.