Don’t download Qatar World Cup apps, EU data authorities warn

Nearly 1.5 million visitors are expected in Qatar for the World Cup | Andrej Isakovic/AFP via Getty Images

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A message to football fans from Europe's data protection chiefs: Qatar's World Cup apps pose a massive privacy risk, so don't download them.

European data protection regulators have been lining up to warn about the risks posed by Qatar's World Cup apps for visitors, with Germany’s data protection commissioner being the latest. In a statement Tuesday, the Germans said data collected by two Qatari apps that visitors are being asked to download “goes much further” than the apps’ privacy notices indicate.

“One of the apps collects data on whether and with which number a telephone call is made,” the German authority said. “The other app actively prevents the device on which it is installed from going into sleep mode. It is also obvious that the data used by the apps not only remain locally on the device, but are also transmitted to a central server.”

The German data chiefs say that if it is “absolutely necessary” to download the apps, then do so on another, blank phone.

The Norwegian and French data protection agencies have already issued similar advice.

The Norwegian regulator on Monday said it was “alarmed” by the extensive access the apps require. “There is a real possibility that visitors to Qatar, and especially vulnerable groups, will be monitored by the Qatari authorities,” it said.

The French agency said fans should take “special care” with photos and videos, and recommends that travelers install the apps just before departure and delete them as soon as they return to France.

The French government — despite having close ties to Qatar — echoed the CNIL's advice on Tuesday. "In France, thanks to the [General Data Protection Regulation], all applications must guarantee the fundamental rights of individuals and the protection of their data. This is not the case in Qatar," tweeted Junior Minister for Digital Jean-Noël Barrot, referencing the privacy regulator's guidelines.

Nearly 1.5 million visitors are expected in Qatar for the World Cup, which runs from November 20 to December 18. The event has been plagued with controversy ever since it was awarded the tournament in 2010. Bribery and corruption allegations dogged the bidding process, and the country’s human rights record, the working conditions of migrant workers, and the treatment of the LGBTQ+ community have been criticized by activists, politicians and football associations.

Foreigners visiting the country have been asked to download the official World Cup app Hayya, while those visiting health care facilities will be required to download the infection-tracking app Ehteraz.

Both apps have been labeled as “spyware” by experts because they provide the Qatari authorities with wide access to people’s data as well as the power to read, delete or change content and even to make direct calls.

The Qatari government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Google and Apple, whose online stores house the apps, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

This article was updated to include a comment by French Junior Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.