Photo: Tencent’s mapping platform shows coronavirus patients in one particular neighbourhood. (Tencent) Chinese tech giants have begun deploying online maps to show nearby residents who are carrying the coronavirus or COVID-19, adding a controversial new tool in the country’s battle to contain the outbreak. Tracking maps are available on Tencent Maps, WeChat and several other online platforms such as Qihoo 360 and Sogou. People in more than 170 Chinese cities can check whether there are COVID-19 infected patients around them simply by scrolling on their phones. Rather than disclosing names and other personal details of the patients, the maps use data sourced from China’s health authorities and feature the user’s distance from COVID-19 infected patients and show how many of them are in the surrounding neighbourhoods. Security personnel attempt to prevent a photographer from taking pictures at a checkpoint in Jiujiang. The Chinese Government also launched an official mobile […]