Explaining Support for COVID-19 Cell Phone Contact Tracing

Abstract Contact tracing applications have been deployed at a fast pace around the world to stop spread of COVID-19 and may be key containing future pandemics. This study aims explain public opinion toward cell phone contact using survey experiment. We build upon theory in evolutionary psychology—disease avoidance—to predict how media coverage pandemic affects support for containment measures. report three findings. First, exposure news item that shows people ignoring social distancing rules causes an increase tracing. Second, pre-treatment covariates such as anxiety belief other are not following rank among strongest predictors apps. And third, while majority respondents approve reliance on tracing, concerns rights freedoms remain salient preoccupation.