Mobile apps tracing coronavirus cases were touted as a key part of Europe’s plan to beat the coronavirus outbreak. Now, however, almost seven months after a pandemic was declared, some countries have scrapped their tracing apps and others have found the lack of public interest in using it makes the technology ineffective.

Virus cases are surging but the general public, concerned about privacy issues were reluctant to use the technology.

Meanwhile, Britain, Portugal, and Finland have unveiled smartphone apps that alert people if they’ve been near someone who turned out to be infected so they can seek treatment or isolate.