  There is growing interest in technology-enabled contact tracing, the process
of identifying potentially infected COVID-19 patients by notifying all recent
contacts of an infected person. Governments, technology companies, and research
groups alike recognize the potential for smartphones, IoT devices, and wearable
technology to automatically track "close contacts" and identify prior contacts
in the event of an individual's positive test. However, there is currently
significant public discussion about the tensions between effective
technology-based contact tracing and the privacy of individuals. To inform this
discussion, we present the results of a sequence of online surveys focused on
contact tracing and privacy, each with 100 participants. Our first surveys were
on April 1 and 3, and we report primarily on those first two surveys, though we
present initial findings from later survey dates as well. Our results present
the diversity of public opinion and can inform the public discussion on whether
and how to leverage technology to reduce the spread of COVID-19. We are
continuing to conduct longitudinal measurements, and will update this report
over time; citations to this version of the report should reference Report
Version 1.0, May 8, 2020. NOTE: As of December 4, 2020, this report has been
superseded by Report Version 2.0, found at arXiv:2012.01553. Please read and
cite Report Version 2.0 instead.
