Bitmark Taiwan-US Epidemic Prevention Hackathon winner, Epidemic Prevention App "Autonomy" blocked due to Apple's policy
The well-known blockchain company Bitmark, which has set foot in Taiwan, participated in the "Taiwan-US COVID-19 Hack" organized by the Executive Yuan and the American Institute in Taiwan in May this year. Teams from seven countries participated, presenting a total of 53 innovative anti-epidemic application solutions.
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A well-known blockchain company Bitmark has set foot in Taiwan and participated in the "Taiwan-US Anti-Epidemic CoHack" organized by the Executive Yuan and the American Institute in Taiwan in May this year, with teams from seven countries participating, presenting a total of 53 innovative anti-epidemic application solutions.
Bitmark's epidemic prevention app "Autonomy" ultimately won an award. According to the description, Autonomy is a community public health prediction tool that combines local, institutional, and government data to provide the public with a reliable community health index in a privacy-respecting manner.
Similar apps have been reported before, which operate as a system that combines user-provided information, privacy protection, and epidemic reporting features. However, despite winning the award, this app has yet to be listed on Apple's App Store due to Apple's policies.
According to Apple's policy, only new coronavirus (COVID-19) related apps launched by governments, health authorities, or non-profit organizations related to healthcare can be listed for health and safety reasons. Apps with COVID-19 themes for gaming or entertainment purposes are strictly prohibited. However, in the case of Taiwan, the virus-themed game "Plague Inc." has not been removed from the store, and the game development team even stated that they will develop a version where players can save the world.
Facing this situation, Bitmark's founder Sean Moss-Pultz stated that unless the Taiwanese government releases the app themselves, Apple will not list it. He also mentioned that many people's apps worldwide are being blocked, and after much consideration, Bitmark may ultimately choose to make the app available for download on its own website.
According to the investigation, Autonomy can currently be tracked for the latest release progress through subscription, with no download link available on the official website. Founder Sean mentioned that the product is expected to be launched in about a month.