The government of Singapore has announced the closure of the TraceTogether and SafeEntry systems, which were used to collect data for tracking diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic. These systems were implemented at the beginning of 2020 but are now almost obsolete.
The collection of COVID-19 data relied on a special law passed by the Singaporean parliament in February 2021, granting the Prime Minister the authority to determine the end date for the system’s usage. All relevant agencies are required to delete all the data stored.
Even though all the data will be deleted, the government has disclosed that certain portions must be retained indefinitely as they serve as evidence in a homicide case from May 2020. This data will be kept with the police.
The shutdown process includes removing the app from all stores, shutting down servers, and disabling the website. Users who possess the hardware tokens are instructed to return them to designated e-waste recycling points provided by the government.
TLDR: The Singaporean government has decided to shut down the TraceTogether and SafeEntry systems used for disease tracking during the COVID-19 pandemic. While most data will be deleted, certain portions will be retained for an ongoing homicide case. The process involves removing the app, shutting down servers, and returning hardware tokens for recycling.
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