From 26 Oct, It’ll Be Compulsory to Have TraceTogether to Watch a Movie in Cinemas

By
Shawn Ambrose
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One of the darkest things about the coronavirus outbreak, and something many people still have trouble speaking about, is how it forced cinemas to close down for a few months.

Image: Tenor

This meant that we couldn’t watch the latest blockbusters in comfy theatres, and had to settle for watching Netflix movies in our bed while eating subpar popcorn.

But then, on 13 July, the government made an announcement that would lift the spirits of movie lovers all across the country; cinemas would finally resume operations, albeit with a reduction in capacity.

Now, however, watching a movie won’t be as simple as buying your ticket and popcorn and scanning your way in.

From 26 Oct, It’ll Be Compulsory to Have TraceTogether to Watch a Movie in Cinemas

Cinemagoers will soon be required to check in with the TraceTogether app or token before they’ll be allowed entry.

This new measure will be progressively implemented at cinema halls nationwide from 26 Oct.

There will be a grace period for cinema operators to fully implement TraceTogether until 16 Nov. After that, it’ll be the only way patrons will be allowed in.

Yes, you won’t be able to gain entry by scanning SafeEntry QR codes, your NRIC, or Singpass anymore.

And you might have to get used to this method of entry, because cinemas might just be the first of many to roll out this measure.

According to ST, cinemas, hotels, F&B outlets, gyms and certain offices were some of the venues listed by the Smart Nation and Digital Government Group (SNDGG) as places where TraceTogether-only entry could be implemented.

This is because these places have the potential to spark off large outbreaks from a single positive Covid-19 case that spreads beyond the activity or venue, SNDGG said.

TraceTogether Will Not Track Your Location

As you know, there are many people who have downloaded the TraceTogether app but have not turned it on, which is like wearing a mask with a big hole in the centre.

One of the reasons for this is that they’re worried about their location being tracked, an understandable concern.

Fortunately for users, though, it was designed to protect users’ privacy.

The only personal data collected are your mobile number and NRIC, which users have to enter to register.

There’s also a misconception about how the app works. It doesn’t track your location because it doesn’t need to.

If I had Covid-19 and visited a McDonald’s in Toa Payoh, it’s not the McDonald’s outlet that we should be worried about but the people I encountered in the fast-food outlet.

For instance, say we both visited the same McDonald’s store at the same time but came nowhere near each other. Our TraceTogether apps wouldn’t collect each other’s data because we weren’t close enough to spread the virus.

The only data it does collect are the numbers of those who come into contact with a confirmed coronavirus case.

But it won’t be there for long, as TraceTogether data that is older than 25 days will automatically be deleted.

You can watch this video to the end to understand how it works (and please subscribe to our YouTube channel for more informative videos!):

And another good thing about it is that unlike many apps, it doesn’t need continuous internet connectivity to function.

It only requires a Wi-Fi or data connection once a day in order to retrieve new temporary IDs from the server.

The TraceTogether token, which has already been distributed to over 100,000 residents, works in the same way, so again, there’s no need to be concerned about privacy.

Doesn’t sound too bad now, right?

Image: Tenor

Well, then, start using it or get used to watching Netflix movies in bed.

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Shawn Ambrose
Email: [email protected]