LAUSR

Public health and government officials are now using digital platforms to reduce public harm from COVID-19. Many US states have launched digital contact tracing programs powered by features in smartphone operating systems. Researchers and commercial companies have used digital data to track COVID-19 symptoms and measure behaviors relevant to disease transmission. Though consumer data are commonly collected and repurposed by commercial entities, public health departments historically have not used consumer data to advance their work. We administered a survey to a nationally representative sample of US consumers to assess their trust in nine public and private organizations to protect their digital health information related to COVID-19. Understanding trust in organizations is important for designing digital programs for public health emergencies.