Digital contact tracing uses automated systems and location technology embedded on smartphone software for efficient identification of individuals exposed to COVID-19. Such systems are only effective with high compliance, yet compliance is mediated by public trust in the system. This work explored the perception of individual's trust and expectation of the broader Test and Trace system in the United Kingdom (UK) with the upcoming release of the National Health Service's (NHS) COVID-19 app as a case example. Twelve adults underwent online semi-structured interviews in August 2020, prior to public availability of the COVID-19 app. Pragmatic reflexive thematic analysis was applied inductively to explore common themes between participants, using an organic and recursive process (Braun & Clarke, 2019). Themes highlighted features of the technology that would be perceived to be trustworthy (Theme 1), and concerns relating to i) whether users would comply with a T&T system (Theme 2) and ii) how a T&T system would handle user's personal data (Theme 3). Two further themes built on aspects of automation within a T&T system and its impact on trust (Theme 4) and how the media altered perceptions of the T&T system (Theme 5). Participants outlined the need for different user requirements that could be built into the NHS COVID-19 app that would support increased adherence. Concurrently, participants raised questions surrounding personal data and privacy of their data, plus the level of automated versus manual tasks, which impacted perception of trust in the app and wider system. Additionally, themes highlighted that T&T systems do not happen within a vacuum, but within a pre-existing environment influenced by variables such as the media and perception of other's compliance to T&T. Since it's roll-out, controversies surrounding the UK T&T system include concerns about privacy, stigma and uptake. Considering the current piece of work, which anticipated similar concerns prior to public access to COVID-19 app, engaging with the public may have been an important step in improving the perception and compliance with the app. Principles fundamental to patient and public involvement (PPI) and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) such as the inclusion of the public in the early development of research and aligning the outcomes of research and innovation with broader societal values and expectations would have been well-applied to this system and should be applied to future autonomous systems requiring high public uptake.

中文翻译：

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探索个人对 NHS 检测和追踪系统的公众信任——务实的反思性主题分析

数字接触者追踪使用智能手机软件中嵌入的自动化系统和定位技术来有效识别暴露于 COVID-19 的个人。此类系统只有在高度合规性的情况下才有效，但合规性是通过公众对该系统的信任来调节的。这项工作以即将发布的国家医疗服务体系 (NHS) COVID-19 应用程序为例，探讨了个人对英国 (UK) 更广泛的测试和追踪系统的信任和期望的看法。 2020 年 8 月，在 COVID-19 应用程序公开发布之前，12 名成年人接受了在线半结构化访谈。使用有机的递归过程，归纳应用实用的反思性主题分析来探索参与者之间的共同主题（Braun & Clarke，2019）。主题强调了被认为值得信赖的技术特征（主题 1），以及有关 i）用户是否会遵守 T&T 系统（主题 2）和 ii）T&T 系统如何处理用户个人数据（主题3）。另外两个主题基于 T&T 系统内的自动化及其对信任的影响（主题 4）以及媒体如何改变对 T&T 系统的看法（主题 5）。参与者概述了可以将不同用户要求内置到 NHS COVID-19 应用程序中以支持提高依从性的需求。与此同时，参与者提出了有关个人数据和数据隐私的问题，以及自动化任务与手动任务的水平，这影响了对应用程序和更广泛系统的信任感。此外，主题强调 T&T 系统不是在真空中发生的，而是在受媒体和其他人遵守 T&T 的看法等变量影响的预先存在的环境中发生的。自推出以来，围绕英国 T&T 系统的争议包括对隐私、耻辱和接受度的担忧。考虑到当前的工作，在公众访问 COVID-19 应用程序之前预计会出现类似的担忧，与公众接触可能是改善应用程序认知和合规性的重要一步。患者和公众参与（PPI）以及负责任的研究和创新（RRI）的基本原则，例如让公众参与研究的早期发展以及使研究和创新的成果与更广泛的社会价值观和期望保持一致，将是很好的。适用于该系统，并且应该适用于需要公众高度参与的未来自治系统。