So, refusing to violate basic privacy standards is dictating how Europeans fight coronavirus?

American companies don't get to tell European democratic governments what privacy standards are appropriate.

They are not, most likely the tracking apps are completely irrelevant. The vast majority of European ( or at least German ) measures were motivated by scientists and not by Silicon Valley companies.

I think the point of the article is not whether the tracking apps are relevant - or damaging to privacy, which they very well may be. The point is that these decisions should be made by European governments, nót (American) corporations.