Coronavirus isolation app’s technical issues draw ire of users

When Ukraine created Diy Vdoma, an app to monitor people undergoing self-isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was using a cutting-edge solution that many countries have chosen.

Soon, however, Ukrainians and foreigners complained that the app had unwieldy technical problems.

Diy Vdoma was developed by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine. It is their second creation after Diya, an app created to store citizen’s documents in a digital form, akin to a digital wallet. Diya translates as “act,” while the app for isolation, Diy Vdoma, means “act at home.”

Diy Vdoma was designed as an alternative for Ukrainians and foreigners arriving in the country, who prefer to quarantine for two weeks at home rather than undergo 14-day observation in a government-selected facility. 

Read also: FAQ about entering Ukraine: Insurance, self-isolation and more

It might also soon become defunct: On June 26, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced that the government would allow foreigners with negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for COVID-19 to avoid self-isolation. The test will have to be done upon arrival in Ukraine or before departure.

However, while that is now allowed on paper, it has not been fully set up in practice. That means that, for now, people will have to continue using Diy Vdoma.

How it works (or doesn’t)

Theoretically, the app works in a very simple manner. Upon arrival, the person inserts a Ukrainian SIM card into their phone and the border guards send a code meant to activate the app, binding the phone number to the individual. Then the user has a 24-hour window to reach their destination. Upon arrival, the user must type in their name and full address to confirm where they will be spending the next two weeks.

Every day at random, the phone will receive notifications which will ask for a selfie. Upon receiving the notification, the user has a 15-minute window to respond, before the app will state that they have broken quarantine rules. When the user sends a selfie, it will be compared to the photo of the user taken at the border.

The app itself does not constantly track the user’s location, as this is forbidden under Ukrainian law. Instead, the location is identified by a ping received at the point when the selfie is sent.

But while it may sound simple in theory, Diy Vdoma has proven more complicated in practice.

Read also: Traveling to Ukraine: Who can enter and what rules apply

It has received almost a 1.3-star review on the Google Play Store and a 1.4-star review on the App Store. Thousands of disgruntled users complained about the app’s performance. Their complaints range from the app wrongfully accusing the user of breaking quarantine to the face ID bot repeatedly being unable to identify users’ faces.

“Disgusting. I rate the app -1,000. It’s as if the app was developed by idiots. Photos won’t send, and neither does the location. When notifications arrive, there is no sound. It’s as if the developers didn’t create this for normal people, but for those who are deaf like them,” wrote Svitlana Shynkarouk in her Google Play review.

Some users have even faced the issue of Diy Vdoma resetting the self-quarantine timer. As Volodymyr Dehtyaryov wrote in his review: “The app is crap. I crossed the border on March 27 and faithfully remained in self-isolation. Then on April 8, the app notified me that I must spend another 14 days in quarantine. Calling support services doesn’t help (as the number isn’t working). So when will I get the joyous letter with the fine?”

App maker responds

The current head of the developing team of Diy Vdoma Yevheniy Horbachev told Kyiv Post that many of the app’s problems are the result of it being rushed. 

“We are currently optimizing the app’s support services — the creation of Diy Vdoma was unplanned, as was the quarantine itself,” he said. “We had to change everything on the go, including support for the app. As a result, both Diya and Diy Vdoma have initially had big delays when responding to concerned users. However, now all requests are carefully processed, and our users receive prompt feedback. We will get better.”

According to the Liga.Tech news site, the National Police informed them that just from April 18-26, the police received 1,395 notifications about violations of self-isolation. Three administrative protocols were in fact filed against users found breaking the quarantine. However, with the number of technical issues the app seems to have, it is questionable whether all the 1,395 notifications truly represented real violations.

However, the changes are slow. A recent update to the app didn’t add an English version of the app or allow users to use foreigner SIM cards — both common complaints. Rather, in the new version, the user is required to do specific head movements as a confirmation that the phone is actually taking a picture of a living human, and not a picture of a picture.  

How soon the app will improve, upgrade its customer service or adapt to an audience beyond Ukrainians returning home remains to be seen.