Not all countries are equal and Amnesty international acknowledges this, so to reduce the risk on the lives of human rights activists in some of the world’s most inhibitory countries, the body is embracing the mobile app revolution and has released its own app. It is called “Panic Button”, and it’s a mobile app for Android that is aimed to improve access to help activists facing the risk of attacks in any country.
The Panic Button smartphone app will basically transmute your smartphone into a secret alarm that will activate rapidly in-case of an emergency, alerting fellow activists and enabling them to respond faster. According to Tanya O’Carroll, Technology and Human Rights Officer for Amnesty International;
[signoff predefined=”Movie Review Signoff” icon=”icon-username”]Defending human rights is an incredibly dangerous job in large parts of the world, with activists facing anything from threats to imprisonment and even torture as punishment for their legitimate work. By introducing technology to the fight for human rights ‘Panic Button’ is bringing them a new tool to alert others about the danger they may be facing with a simple click[/signoff]
WHEN AND WHERE TO USE THE PANIC BUTTON APP
With the recent hunt on gay activists here in Uganda, this would be a worthwhile app for them to try. Authorities know that campaigners coordinate meetings, protests and other activities using mobile phones and have ramped up their surveillance capabilities to monitor and track activists, journalists and campaigners.
The risk mitigation app is more relevant for people suspected by their nations to be a threat, and will give thousands of activists at daily risk of persecution a tool to fight for their justice. For those who want to use the app you can visit the official website for the “Panic Button” app is up and running. The humanitarian body hopes that activists and members of the public will help to improve the tool by downloading and testing Panic Button in their country as part of the beta – or testing – phase, but you must give them a good reason to do so. Our team at techjaja is still waiting for approval into the beta tester phase and we shall review the app once we get it. Amnesty International is working with activists in 16 countries on how to use “Panic Button”
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