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Tracking and promoting the usage of a COVID-19 contact tracing app

Author

Listed:
  • Simon Munzert

    (Hertie School)

  • Peter Selb

    (University of Konstanz)

  • Anita Gohdes

    (Hertie School)

  • Lukas F. Stoetzer

    (Humboldt University of Berlin)

  • Will Lowe

    (Hertie School)

Abstract

Digital contact tracing apps have been introduced globally as an instrument to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, privacy by design impedes both the evaluation of these tools and the deployment of evidence-based interventions to stimulate uptake. We combine an online panel survey with mobile tracking data to measure the actual usage of Germany’s official contact tracing app and reveal higher uptake rates among respondents with an increased risk of severe illness, but lower rates among those with a heightened risk of exposure to COVID-19. Using a randomized intervention, we show that informative and motivational video messages have very limited effect on uptake. However, findings from a second intervention suggest that even small monetary incentives can strongly increase uptake and help make digital contact tracing a more effective tool.

Suggested Citation

  • Simon Munzert & Peter Selb & Anita Gohdes & Lukas F. Stoetzer & Will Lowe, 2021. "Tracking and promoting the usage of a COVID-19 contact tracing app," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 5(2), pages 247-255, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:5:y:2021:i:2:d:10.1038_s41562-020-01044-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-020-01044-x
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Raghu Raman & Krishnashree Achuthan & Ricardo Vinuesa & Prema Nedungadi, 2021. "COVIDTAS COVID-19 Tracing App Scale—An Evaluation Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-19, March.
    2. Andrea Guazzini & Maria Fiorenza & Gabriele Panerai & Mirko Duradoni, 2021. "What Went Wrong? Predictors of Contact Tracing Adoption in Italy during COVID-19 Pandemic," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-20, November.
    3. A. E. Biondo & G. Burgio & A. Pluchino & D. Puglisi, 2022. "Taxation and evasion: a dynamic model," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 32(3), pages 797-826, July.
    4. Rehse, Dominik & Tremöhlen, Felix, 2022. "Fostering participation in digital contact tracing," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    5. van der Waal, Nadine Elisa & de Wit, Jan & Bol, Nadine & Ebbers, Wolfgang & Hooft, Lotty & Metting, Esther & van der Laan, Laura Nynke, 2022. "Predictors of contact tracing app adoption: Integrating the UTAUT, HBM and contextual factors," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    6. Shoji, Masahiro & Cato, Susumu & Ito, Asei & Iida, Takashi & Ishida, Kenji & Katsumata, Hiroto & McElwain, Kenneth Mori, 2022. "Mobile health technology as a solution to self-control problems: The behavioral impact of COVID-19 contact tracing apps in Japan," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 306(C).
    7. Raymond M Duch & Adrian Barnett & Maciej Filipek & Javier Espinosa-Brito & Laurence S J Roope & Mara Violato & Philip M Clarke, 2023. "Cash versus lottery video messages: online COVID-19 vaccine incentives experiment," Oxford Open Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 2, pages 9-8.
    8. Yulin Hswen & Ulrich Nguemdjo & Elad Yom-Tov & Gregory M Marcus & Bruno Ventelou, 2022. "Individuals’ willingness to provide geospatial global positioning system (GPS) data from their smartphone during the COVID-19 pandemic," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-8, December.
    9. Tuchen, Stefan & Nazemi, Mohsen & Ghelfi-Waechter, Signe Maria & Kim, Euiyoung & Hofer, Franziska & Chen, Ching-Fu & Arora, Mohit & Santema, Sicco & Blessing, Lucienne, 2023. "Experiences from the international frontlines: An exploration of the perceptions of airport employees during the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    10. Bettina Distel & Holger Koelmann & Ralf Plattfaut & Jörg Becker, 2022. "Watch who you trust! A structured literature review to build a typology of e-government risks," Information Systems and e-Business Management, Springer, vol. 20(4), pages 789-818, December.
    11. Dooley, Samuel & Turjeman, Dana & Dickerson, John P & Redmiles, Elissa M., 2021. "Field Evidence of the Effects of Pro-sociality and Transparency on COVID-19 App Attractiveness," SocArXiv gm6js, Center for Open Science.
    12. Caspar Geenen & Joren Raymenants & Sarah Gorissen & Jonathan Thibaut & Jodie McVernon & Natalie Lorent & Emmanuel André, 2023. "Individual level analysis of digital proximity tracing for COVID-19 in Belgium highlights major bottlenecks," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    13. Saheb, Tahereh & Sabour, Elham & Qanbary, Fatimah & Saheb, Tayebeh, 2022. "Delineating privacy aspects of COVID tracing applications embedded with proximity measurement technologies & digital technologies," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).

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