FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

CONTACT US FOR SUPPORT OR BROWSE TOPICS BELOW

General Questions

  • What is Poirot?
  • How does Poirot help the university?
  • Will the university or other Poirot users be able to track my location?
  • Will the university or other Poirot users store my data forever?

App Questions

  • How do I download the mobile app?
  • What happens if I turn off my location?

Duke Questions

  • Why do I need to sign in with my NetID?

What is Poirot?

Poirot is a data aggregation system that puts the privacy of its users first. The system collects aggregated statistics of potential contact events between its users and makes it available to university decision-makers and the users themselves. At no point does the university ever see the individual location or contact histories of its users.

How does Poirot help the university?

With Poirot, decision-makers at the university will be able to view aggregate contact events at the granularity of buildings for various times of the day and days of the week. These data can allow them to make targeted guidelines for specific buildings and days/times, rather than university-wide guidelines that affect all locations irrespective of the risk status.

Will the university or other users be able to track my location?

No. Neither the university nor any other users will ever see your location through Poirot.

Will the university or other Poirot users store my data forever?

No. Users’ data are protected forever, meaning that no one except the original user can ever see their data. Poirot only stores the aggregate statistics, which cannot be linked to an individual user.

How do I download the mobile app?

Click on the DOWNLOAD for iOS button on the Poirot home page.

What happens if I turn off my location?

If your location is off, no contact events will be tied to a specific location. This reduces the quality of the data collected by Poirot.

Why do I need to sign in with my NetID?

Signing in with your NetID allows the app to confirm that you are a member of the Duke community. Due to the use of cryptography techniques while uploading your data, Poirot will not be able to learn your identity.