The safety of spectators at the Qatar World Cup is at risk
With not much time left until the start of the World Cup and many football lovers packing their bags to head to Qatar, new warnings about the safety of incoming travelers to Qatar, who hold tickets and are supposed to be spectators at the games, have raised concerns.
Spectators of the World Cup games, as incoming tourists, are required to install two applications on their mobile phones. One of these is for tracking the individual’s social contacts to control the spread of COVID-19, and the other is a special World Cup application for ticket holders, which allows them entry to stadiums and free use of public transportation services.
Internet user security experts have issued a serious warning to travelers to Qatar about these two applications. These apps have extensive access to calls and networks connected to individuals’ mobile phones, and much of their personal data may be at risk.
Norwegian security experts have issued a serious warning about this particular situation and have specifically advised travelers to Qatar not to bring their personal and regularly used mobile phones. In a surprising development, French cyber and internet security authorities have issued a relatively official warning on this matter, explicitly advising the French to get a special World Cup phone and dispose of it after their trip.