The startup initiative “Wir für Digitisierung” speaks out against Luca as a uniform contact tracking app. Instead, they demand an open interface.

In the last few days the impression had grown that the federal states were agreeing on a joint app for contact tracking want. In most cases, the name Luca was used. This is an app that was developed with the participation of the musicians from Fanta 4 and – originating from the cultural sector – was created with an open perspective in view.

After both the Chancellor and the Vice Chancellor had recently commented positively on Luca and the new CDU party chairman and NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet (CDU) had betrayed an agreement at state level, themselves to actually want to agree on a common app, the introduction of Luca seemed to be more or less a question of form. Thuringia’s Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow (Die Linke) had already nailed it and confirmed the nationwide introduction for his state.

Startup initiative wants open interface

Now competitors of the Luca app, who have gathered under the initiative We for Digitization, are making mobile. You want to prevent a commitment to a uniform app. Understandable – after all, their respective offers, including Recover, Darfichrein.de, Smartmeeting, Hygiene-Ranger, E-Guest, Bomocha, Gastident and a few more would become more or less obsolete.

“A uniform solution can only be doomed to failure, also with a view to the experience with the Corona warning app,” says Jan Kus, Managing Director of Railslove GmbH, the operator of the Recover app. Instead, the initiative calls for the introduction of a “collaborative, open and common interface” to which all contact data acquisition systems could be connected, including Luca. The contact data from the various recording solutions could then be transmitted to the systems of the health authorities via a uniform interface for tracking.

According to their own statements, the startups of the “Wir für Digitisierung” initiative started developing solutions for digital contact tracking back in May 2020 and claim a corresponding amount of experience in this area. According to their own statements, they have processed over 8.5 million checkins with 12,000 customers so far.

“Open interface not effective”

Smudo, the co-developer of the Luca app and musician of the Fantastischen Vier, believes that such an open interface is not very effective. During a TV talk with Anne Will on Sunday, he said: “Then FC Bayern will come with their app – or a hotel from the other side with their hotel app.” was in the stadium, may have been in a restaurant before.

In addition to this argument, the much simpler one also speaks Communication towards the user for a uniform solution. Now it’s up to the politicians. On Monday, the federal states want to make a decision on a nationwide app for digitally tracking contacts. This should then be used in all countries.

Meanwhile, one of the well-known test regions is in the the Luca app is already in use, and Freiburg has also been added to Rostock. The district office Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald announced on Friday. Freiburg’s Lord Mayor Martin Horn called on citizens to use the application actively.

What Luca is In this article we have discussed in detail how the app works and where it is already in use. – with material from the dpa

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