Google will now help governments upset by Coronavirus. It has released a report on the location data of millions of phone users from 131 countries. This report will help to show whether the number of people visiting shops, parks, and offices decreased during the time when governments in many countries issued orders for people to stay at home. Since April 3, Google has started sharing the location data of users across the world, so that governments can get the correct data of social distancing to deal with coronavirus.
Report of users from 131 countries
According to a post on Google’s blog, a report on the movement of users from 131 countries will be made available on a special website and with the help of geography, the movement status will be marked from time to time. Google Maps head Jane Fitzpatrick and company chief health officer Karen DeSalvo said the trend would reflect a percentage point increase or decrease in visits to places such as parks, shops, homes and offices. No one will tell how many times a person has visited these places.
The post states that this information will help officers understand the changes in required visits and may prove to be helpful in developing recommendations on working hours or making suggestions on delivery services, etc. In this period of transition, many countries including China, Singapore and South Korea had instructed to use the app more and more to maintain physical distance from their people. With Google’s location history, users’ activity can be easily detected.
21 day lockdown in India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has imposed a 21-day lockdown across the country to deal with coronaviruses. It is a kind of a curfew, but things like groceries, vegetables, medicines, hospitals will remain open. However, people will not be able to come together at any public place.
