Singapore authorities have announced the deletion of all COVID-19 related personal contact tracing data derived from the TraceTogether and SafeEntry systems, which were launched almost four years ago.
On Monday (Feb 5), the Smart Nation Group stated that the sole exclusion relates to TraceTogether data associated with a murder case that occurred in May 2020, as it may be necessary for potential legal disputes in the future.
All COVID-19 related personal contact tracing data derived from TraceTogether and SafeEntry deleted as of 1 February 2024, with the exception of the TraceTogether data pertaining to a murder case in May 2020.
-Smart Nation Group
The TraceTogether mobile app was developed by the Government Technology Agency (GovTech) and the Health Ministry in March 2020 to support contact tracing efforts during the COVID-19 outbreak. The app used Bluetooth signals to detect other users in close proximity, thereby identifying individuals who had been in contact with a COVID-19 positive case.
For those without mobile phones or who chose not to use the app, a physical token was provided. SafeEntry, a digital check-in system, was integrated with TraceTogether and required users to check in and out of public venues.
However, as part of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act enacted in February 2021, the government specified a date after which digital contact tracing systems were no longer necessary.
Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, in consultation with Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, determined this date to be January 5, 2024.
The Smart Nation Group, responsible for Singapore’s digital transformation and strategy development, stated that the risk of a severe COVID-19 outbreak requiring the use of TraceTogether and SafeEntry in the immediate term is low.
The law also stipulated that data collection for digital contact tracing systems must cease, and all personal contact tracing data used for the purpose of contact tracing must be deleted.
As of February 1, all data, except that related to the murder case, has been deleted.
The TraceTogether and SafeEntry (Business) apps have been removed from official mobile app stores, and the digital infrastructure supporting the systems has been dismantled. Furthermore, the TraceTogether and SafeEntry websites have been closed.
Users are advised to uninstall the TraceTogether app from their mobile phones and recycle the tokens at 3-in-1 e-waste bins across the island.
The Smart Nation Group expressed gratitude to the public for their support of the TraceTogether and SafeEntry programs and their contribution to the fight against COVID-19 during the acute phase of the pandemic.
TT and SE have served us well during the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic by accelerating our contact tracing efforts and enabling the implementation of community safe management measures.
We thank members of the public for their support of the TT programme and our digital contact tracing efforts in our fight against COVID-19.
-Smart Nation Group
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