"Risiko-Ermittlung dauerhaft aktiv" despite BlueTooth being disabled

[icrf2000]

Avoid duplicates

• Bug is not mentioned in the FAQ
• Bug is specific for Android only, for general issues / questions that apply to iOS and Android please raise them in the documentation repository
• Bug is not already reported in another issue

Describe the bug

The green risk status box shows "Risiko-Ermittlung dauerhaft aktiv" despite the fact that I disabled BlueTooth a bit more than one day ago. The app correctly recognized that BlueTooth is disabled (shows "BLUETOOTH DEAKTIVIERT" and a red strike-through BlueTooth icon at the top of the screen).

Side note: I reported something similar in #840. Back then, the app incorrectly showed "14 von 14 Tagen aktiv". In the meantime, you seem to have changed the text, no longer give the (anyway incorrect) number of active days. But in essence, the information shown to the user is still wrong. Personally I think it would be better to completely remove this information from the screen. Better no info than wrong/misleading/confusing/frustrating info. I know from private conversations with less technically affine people that they ARE confused and in the worst case, they might decide to deinstall the app:-( Don't get me wrong, I really appreciate what you achieved and I am happy with the app. That's the very reason why I beg to make it less confusing for other people who might not ask "why" and give the app a second chance.

In #840, I was told the behavior couldn't be improved due to limitations of the Google API. Plus that Android apps were unable to detect the fact that BlueTooth is disabled. At least the latter doesn't seem to be true (anymore), as written above, the app correctly tells me "BLUETOOTH DEAKTIVIERT", so it correctly detected this situation.

Expected behaviour

If BlueTooth is disabled (at least if disabled for an extended period of time), the app shouldn't say "Risiko-Ermittlung dauerhaft aktiv", rather give some warning or alike.

Steps to reproduce the issue

1. Disable BlueTooth, leave it disabled for a while (> 1 day to be sure)
2. Look at the app's main screen, here the green risk status box

Technical details

• Mobile device: Galaxy S10
• Android version: 10
• Google COVID-19 API: 15202902003
• App version 1.1.1

Possible Fix

Additional context

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Related corona-warn-app/cwa-wishlist#195

Related:
Internal Tracking ID: EXPOSUREAPP-2518
Internal Tracking ID: EXPOSUREAPP-3387
Internal Tracking ID: EXPOSUREAPP-4467
Internal Tracking ID: EXPOSUREAPP-5170
#929

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Internal Tracking ID: EXPOSUREAPP-1925
Internal Tracking ID: EXPOSUREAPP-4467

[SebastianWolf-SAP]

Thanks for the report. We'll have a look at that and discuss that with the dev team.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen/Best regards,
SW
Corona Warn-App Open Source Team

[Mtagxx]

If one switches off "COVID-19-Benachrichtigungen" for some days the message "Risiko-Ermittlung dauerhaft aktiv" will be displayed, too if one turns on COVID-19-Benachrichtigungen and opens CWA (Version 1.2.1 on Android 9). This is an error. A message like "Risiko-Ermittlung war für 13 der letzten 14 Tage aktiv" or something like this should be shown instead.

Best regards
Chris

[Mtagxx]

The problem still exists with CWA Version 1.3.0 and Google Play Services 20.30.19.
When will it be fixed?

Best regards
Chris

[rsch136]

I am also experiencing this issue. The app claims "exposure logging permanently active" even though I had Bluetooth disabled for 3 days.

[daimpi]

There are lots of issues which concern this display of "active days", imho it would make sense to just drop it and be done with it (other ENF apps also don't have this): corona-warn-app/cwa-wishlist#102
Feel free to upvote 🙂.

[Mtagxx]

If either Bluetooth or "Standortdienste" or "COVID-19-Benachrichtigungen" is switched off for a whole day no TEK (Temporary Exposure Key, täglicher Diagnoseschlüssel) will be generated for that day. However the message "Risiko-Ermittlung dauerhaft aktiv" will be displayed anyway. Even if one switches off Bluetooth for three weeks this message will be displayed. That is wrong! What would happen if one would get tested COVID-19 positive? For those days with Bluetooth off no TEK will be available to upload. Or will the app tell one that 13 TEKs have been uploaded successfully anyway? In my opinion the number of "active days" should be equal to the number of available TEKs.

It will be helpful to see the correct number of active days in order to see if the app is still working correctly. Just remember the problems with "Aktualisierung". If you don't even have some indications how can you tell if it is still working?

[daimpi]

@Mtagxx

In my opinion the number of "active days" should be equal to the number of available TEKs.

Tbh I don't think the presence of TEK's is a good indicator for proper "active days". TEKs might be generated even w/o BT being active or BT only being active for a brief moment.

Apart from that: afaik CWA can't even access the TEKs unless you're tested positive and decide to share your keys.

It will be helpful to see the correct number of active days in order to see if the app is still working correctly. Just remember the problems with "Aktualisierung". If you don't even have some indications how can you tell if it is still working?

What kind of scenario do you have in mind here?

[Mtagxx]

Hallo @daimpi,

no: TEKs are only generated if BT is on (and "Standort" and "COVID-19-Benachrichtigung" (sorry, I don't know the english words for that))!

Please note that you don't have to access the TEK to find out if new ones are generated.
A message is written to the systemlog when a new one is generated. So for example one could parse the logfile to find it out ... :-)
I'm sure there is a more elegant method than that - just ask Google.

An interested and curious user of the CWA will be eager to see if the app is still working correctly. If she never gets any new informations, sees some counters raising etc. she will quit opening the app daily. Why should one look at it anymore?
Therefore it is important that there are some indicators which are updated correctly.

But it is really bad if there are some numbers like "active days" which are obviously wrong like in the case with BT off for days. Users will totally loose confidence that the app is working correctly if even such an elementary thing is not handled adequately.

[daimpi]

@Mtagxx

no: TEKs are only generated if BT is on (and "Standort" and "COVID-19-Benachrichtigung" (sorry, I don't know the english words for that))!

That's interesting to know 🙂. But even in this case you'll get a TEK if BT was only enabled for a brief moment that day which would mean that you didn't really broadcast any useful rolling proximity identifiers (RPIs) even though you generated a TEK.

So for example one could parse the logfile to find it out ... :-)

Does CWA have permissions to parse this logfile?

I'm sure there is a more elegant method than that - just ask Google.

Googles API is documented here: https://developers.google.com/android/exposure-notifications/exposure-notifications-api. Tbh I'm not aware of a call which would provide this functionality.

An interested and curious user of the CWA will be eager to see if the app is still working correctly. If she never gets any new informations, sees some counters raising etc. she will quit opening the app daily. Why should one look at it anymore?
Therefore it is important that there are some indicators which are updated correctly.

I agree that the app should be made more engaging but I'd prefer this to come in form of enhanced functionality e.g.

• Venue registration
• More information on number of keys shared etc.
• Information on local regulations and restrictions

But it is really bad if there are some numbers like "active days" which are obviously wrong like in the case with BT off for days

As stated above: I personally don't think that presence of TEKs is a reliable indicator of "days active" and given that "days active" causes all kinds of trouble I've come around on the idea to have it removed for good.

Maybe it would be good to have the info on number of stored TEKs (if it can actually be assessed by CWA) shown in some menu within CWA for debugging purposes though or alternatively Google could maybe be asked to expose this info in their ENF settings menu 🙂.

[heinezen]

Fixed in CWA version 1.5. Since there haven't been new reports in two months, I'll close this issue.

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Corona-Warn-App Open Source Team

[Mtagxx]

That's really funny: I'm using CWA version 1.6.0. I have switched off bluetooth for a couple of days and still get: "Risiko-Ermittlung dauerhaft aktiv". What is the meaning of the phrase "Risiko-Ermittlung dauerhaft aktiv"? Maybe I just understand it wrong?

[heinezen]

Reopened due to user feedback. We will investigate the issue again.

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Corona-Warn-App Open Source Team

[icrf2000]

I have 1.7.1 in the meantime. The issue still exists. Here how it looks after having Bluetooth disabled for a bit more than 24 hours. It says "BLUETOOTH DEAKTIVIERT", shows the red alert in the notification bar, but nevertheless, pretends "Risiko-Ermittlung dauerhaft aktiv":

[dsarkar]

Dear @icrf2000,

Thanks for reporting. Please let us know

• Android version
• Phone model:

Thanks.

Dear community,

• Please confirm, if you can reproduce this issue on your Android phone. Feedback very much appreciated.

Best wishes,
DS

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Corona-Warn-App Open Source Team

[dsarkar]

• Samsung A21s
• Android 10
• Corona-Warn-App Version 1.9.1
• CWA was installed 5 days ago!
  • 19.12. install CWA (5 days ago)
  • 22.12 BT was switched off
  • 23.12. CWA shows 4 days active with BT off since 22.12.
  • 24.12. CWA shows 5 days active with BT off since 22.12.
  • 25.12. CWA shows 6 days active with BT off since 22.12.

[icrf2000]

Hello @dsarkar, on what device type did you create those screenshots? If my Samsung would behave like what you show ("Risikoermittlung war an X der letzten 14 Tage aktiv" instead of "Risiko-Ermittlung dauerhaft aktiv" as it currently does), I would say it is good and plausible. I admit that after @MikeMcC399's comment from yesterday ("There is a definition problem in what exposure logging active means...") I am no longer sure whether my expectation is simply wrong or there's really a wrong app behavior (limited to Samsung as it stands).

Anyway, I wish you and all the CWA/SAP/Telekom opensource team members as merry a Christmas as is possible given the circumstances! What you achieved is impressive!

[dsarkar]

@icrf2000 Merry Christmas to you as well! I will forward your wishes to other team members, thanks.

I updated my post with more information.

[dsarkar]

@Mtagxx, thanks again. You use CWA 1.9.1. on Android 9, which device? Thanks.

[dsarkar]

For comparison:

[Mtagxx]

Hello @dsarkar ,
I'm using cwa version 1.9.1 with ENF Version 1820451600 on a Samsung Galaxy J3 (Modell SM-J330F).
Best regards
Chris

[dsarkar]

@Mtagxx, thanks for the additional details, forwarded to developers.

[dsarkar]

All reported devices here are SAMSUNG phones. Any feedback on other devices? @daimpi ?

[daimpi]

@dsarkar if it helps I could test this on my 2nd Android device which is a Samsung tablet (Galaxy Tab S3). Lemme know if you want me to test this.

[dsarkar]

• @daimpi, yes, please, if you would be so kind and let me know what happens when you deactivate BT. Does the device immediately show "Risiko-Ermittlung gestoppt"? And then when you active BT again, does the green card come back? Thanks.

• The issue with (some?) Android device is apparently that it is not easy/impossible to track the time BT is on/off, i.e. one can't show x days of 14 days active. However, I have the impression, that Apple devices do not track that either, but show immediately "Risiko-Ermittlung gestoppt" on deactivating BT. Seems a different implementation altogether.

[daimpi]

@dsarkar ok I tested this yesterday and checked again today:

The green card didn't disappear when I disabled Bluetooth yesterday, but the "Bluetooth disabled" status was shown (replacing the "Risikoermittlung aktiv" status):

I kept BT disabled the whole time but the counter nevertheless ticked up to "1 day active" today (up from "0 days active" yesterday):

My device:

• Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 (SM-T820)
• Android 9
• CWA 1.9.1
• ENF 18204516000

[dsarkar]

@daimpi, thanks for info, resembles the same behaviour as in the other SAMSUNG devices mentioned here, but very different to the iOS implementation.

[MikeMcC399]

This issue is no longer relevant due to the changes made with the CWA 1.15.1 release.

https://www.coronawarn.app/en/blog/2021-03-24-corona-warn-app-version-1-15/ says:

"With version 1.15, the risk card without exposures no longer shows how long exposure logging was active. Instead, for the first 14 days after installation, the app shows the number of days since installation. After that, the line on the risk card will be removed. Of course, risk exposure is still active unless users turn their smartphone or Bluetooth off."

I think it should be possible to close this issue.

[dsarkar]

Hi @icrf2000, see #920 (comment). We suggest closing this issue. Thanks to everybody for contributing here.
Best wishes, DS

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Corona-Warn-App Open Source Team