Apple, Google Crack Down on COVID-19 Apps: CNBC

Major platforms like Apple and Google are restricting apps on the COVID-19 to those produced or approved by recognized governments and hospitals. “Four independent developers told CNBC that Apple rejected their apps, which would allow people to see stats about which countries have confirmed cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus,” reports Kif Leswing for CNBC. “Some of these apps used public data from reliable sources like the World Health Organization (WHO) to create dashboards or live maps.” Apple posted a new policy that apps for “highly regulated” fields must be submitted by a “legal entity” that provides services. The goal is to prevent misinformation, plenty of which is already online, but developers are skilled at identifying user needs and presenting information in specific and innovative ways. Many developers are eager to contribute skills during a crisis. Google is banning advertising for anti-coronavirus products. Developers suggest that tech companies create rating systems. – YaleGlobal

Apple, Google Crack Down on COVID-19 Apps: CNBC

Major internet platforms like Apple and Google owners are limiting developers who can publish coronavirus information and apps to health organizations
Kif Leswing
Saturday, March 7, 2020

Read the article from CNBC about internet platforms blocking coronavirus sites and apps that are not linked to health organizations.

Kif Leswing is a technology reporter for CNBC, where he focuses on Apple, hardware and a variety of other topics. He has covered the technology industry for seven years and has a degree in economics from Oberlin College.

Internet users should compare sites that monitor the spread of COVID-19 and updates:

Worldometer

World Health Organization

Live Science

New York Times

 US	245 Spain	296 Japan	350 France	423 Germany	639 Diamond Princess	696 Italy	4636 Iran	4747 S Korea	6593 	China 80,000+

Data is only as good as countries and health organizations provide; this graph is based on a website not connected to a specific health organizaton,though  other sites confirm the data (Source: ncov2019)

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