LeaveHomeSafe

Although it did not require GPS positioning, the user must authorize LeaveHomeSafe to use their mobile's communication network, camera lens and notification function and prevent it from going to sleep.

[6] On January 8, 2023, the Hong Kong Government announced that the "LeaveHomeSafe" system would cease operation and no longer be updated.

On the 18th of the same month, the government required restaurants and other designated premises to force customers to use LeaveHomeSafe to record the whereabouts of citizens, otherwise they will be fined for 3 to 14 days.

Compared with Google Play, because the App Store has stricter controls on the "Ranking list", So it is more difficult to brush high downloads.

The government did not commission any person or organization to purchase any online advertisements, but it did not answer the number of repeated downloads of LeaveHomeSafe.

[12][13] On 2 August, the government released a new version of LeaveHomeSafe v2.1, which integrated privacy-preserving AI technology developed by a research team from Hong Kong Baptist University.

The new AI technology enables automatic check-out when the user leaves a venue, resulting in more precise contact tracing.

He emphasized that the program's computations do not involve central servers and do not collect users' personal data or location information.

Johnny So, barrister and a member of the Progressive Lawyers Group, thinks that it is unacceptable and dangerous for the government to force citizens to use programs.

It is believed that it will set a bad precedent, and people think that the government is invading personal privacy on the grounds of fighting the epidemic.

Some restaurants even post a QR code that mimics LeaveHomeSafe, but after scanning it with a mobile phone, it will link to an unrelated website.

Patrick Nip, Civil Service Secretary, said that the LeaveHomeSafe program has no tracking function and will not reveal privacy.

Some countries mentioned above do not have a close relationship or frequent communications with Hong Kong, some netizens thinks that "someone" has asked for help from some company to increase downloads.

[29] The Hong Kong government stated that starting from 1 November 2021, citizens entering the market are forced to use "LeaveHomeSafe".

[30] Chen Yuen-fai (陳袁輝), the chairman of Yau Ma Tei Market Tenants Association (油麻地街市枱商聯會), pointed out that there are difficulties in implementation.

The current government market suffer the shortage of manpower, it is difficult to arrange people to check every entrance and exit.

He also worries that people will reduce entering to the government market, preferring to patronize to the street vendors, criticizing the measures causing fewer business to the merchants.