LeaveHomeSafe () is a digital contact tracing app launched by the Hong Kong Government on 16 November 2020 to conduct contact tracing in Hong Kong. It can be used as a companion of the Hong Kong Health Code system for registered users.
The application can be downloaded for free, allowing users to record their whereabouts. Although it does not require GPS positioning, the user must authorize LeaveHomeSafe to use their mobile's communication network, camera lens and notification function and prevent it from going to sleep. It also captures other apps running on the phone, and the personal information collection statement of LeaveHomeSafe stated that the visit records submitted by the app to the Department of Health will be retained for seven years for confirmed COVID-19 cases only. The visit record, which by itself in isolation is not personal data, will be kept in users’ mobile phones for 31 days and will then be erased automatically.
Privacy became the most controversial issue surrounding the app, prompting the use of fake LeaveHomeSafe apps which were later banned by the Government (with some were arrested for using them).
On May 3, 2022, FactWire reverse-engineered the Android version of "LeaveHomeSafe" and discovered that the program has a built-in face recognition module with features including the recognition of facial features and location, which led to another controversy about the privacy of the app.
On January 8, 2023, the Hong Kong Government announced that the "LeaveHomeSafe" system would cease operation and no longer be updated. Users are still able to use other features such as the PCR Testing Registration Code.
History
On 24 November 2020, Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam said at a press conference that citizens will be encouraged to use it voluntarily, but it is not ruled out that citizens will be required to enter and exit designated premises (including restaurants, etc.). They must use the LeaveHomeSafe mobile app. On the next day, the Hong Kong government stated that more than 12,000 public and private venues have been included in the list, including shopping centres, cinemas, government agencies, parks and restaurants, among which more than 1,000 restaurants of various types have participated.
The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer announced that as of 17 February 2021, LeaveHomeSafe had more than 1 million downloads.
Starting from 28 January 2021, the government stipulates that citizens entering government buildings or offices must scan the QR code on their mobiles with the LeaveHomeSafe app before they can enter.
On 2 February, the Chinese Temples Committee stated that it is necessary to scan the QR code of LeaveHomeSafe to enter the Che Kung Temple in Sha Tin. The Wong Tai Sin Temple requires that from the first day of the Lunar New Year to the 15th of the first lunar month, believers who enter the temple must scan the LeaveHomeSafe QR code before they can get an "Entry Permit".
On 10 February, the government announced that starting from 1 March, government employees and citizens must scan the QR code to record the name, contact number, and date and time of the visit when entering all government premises. On the 18th of the same month, the government required restaurants and other designated premises to force customers to use LeaveHomeSafe to record the whereabouts of citizens, otherwise they will be fined for 3 to 14 days.
On 22 February, the number of downloads of LeaveHomeSafe exceeded 2.69 million. In addition to topping the download list in Hong Kong. However, in the App Store for Apple mobile phones, LeaveHomeSafe is only downloaded by registered users in 45 countries, and only Hong Kong and Macau rank first in downloads. Some netizens said that no one around them used LeaveHomeSafe, but the number of downloads increased sharply. In addition, there were comments that were not related to LeaveHomeSafe, such as game micro-transaction advertisements. Therefore, there's doubt that through the service company, the application finds people to download a large number of relevant programs and give them five-star praise, so as to raise the download ranking list of LeaveHomeSafe. Compared with Google Play, because the App Store has stricter controls on the "Ranking list", So it is more difficult to brush high downloads. The government Facebook page "Tamar Terrace" stated that the program can be used by people who live in Hong Kong or travel on business or travel. The government did not commission any person or organization to purchase any online advertisements, but it did not answer the number of repeated downloads of LeaveHomeSafe.