The Linux Foundation Wants Open-Source Tech to Address Future Pandemics

The LFPHI's goal is to promote the use of open source by public health authorities, which can be scrutinized by anyone, to fight not just COVID-19 but future pandemics as well.

These open-source apps are built using the Apple and Google protocol for notifications, but the apps themselves are transparent and therefore more trustworthy than closed apps, where there is no insight into the code driving them.

Dan Kohn, general manager of the new initiative, sees open-source technology as necessary for a privacy-respecting exposure notification app, but not solely sufficient.

"It is totally possible to create an app that's horrible for privacy that is open source," said Kohn.

Since the pandemic hit, groups around the world have rushed to develop exposure notification apps, but in many instances concerns about privacy, effectiveness and a lack of trust have led to low levels of public adoption.

The two LFPHI exposure notification projects are open source and meant to help develop back-end operability between different apps.

Another tool LFPHI is introducing and continually refining is a dashboard where contact tracing and exposure notification apps are tracked.

The dashboard breaks down apps by whether they use Bluetooth or GPS location tracking, whether apps are open source and whether they're provided by a public health authority, among a number of other categories.

The TCN Coalition, a global group of technologists that was working to support the development of cross-compatible privacy-preserving exposure notification apps, was absorbed by the LFPHI as part of its launch.

"The same way that your seatbelt helps you, it's a public health tool within a car. That's how we need to be thinking about these apps on people's phones."