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Of the 47 applications currently available, 24 contain Google and Facebook tracking, 11 have no privacy policy, 25 do not disclose the length of time that they hold the data for, and 28 have no publicly disclosed anonymity measures 1 (p1782) This essay is likely to generate debate about the nature of signals intelligence and the overall utility of contact-tracing apps "3 It can be difficult to see the implications of change while it is occurring, but we all experience the ubiquity of data collection through stores, apps, physical activity monitors (e g , Fitbit Trackers), our cars, and even our refrigerators The crisis could usher in totalitarianism or solidarity;medical martial law or a holistic renaissance;greater fear of the microbial world, or greater resiliency in participation in it;permanent norms of social distancing, or a renewed desire to come together 6 Bernard et al raise interesting issues that implicitly suggest that ignoring the surveillance capabilities of those apps and similar technology may lead us to the darker version of these choices