This is a real app and these are real users
October 28, 2016 3:54 AM Subscribe
A new iOS app, Vigilante, has been launched in New York City.
Press release: "Today, Vigilante launches in New York City as the first crime awareness app combining real-time alerts and live broadcasting. Vigilante has developed technology that opens up the existing 911 system, unlocking access to reported crimes and sending alerts to nearby users."
The Vigilante creators have posted a manifesto explaining their ideas.
Online commenters have already noticed there may be some risks.
Press release: "Today, Vigilante launches in New York City as the first crime awareness app combining real-time alerts and live broadcasting. Vigilante has developed technology that opens up the existing 911 system, unlocking access to reported crimes and sending alerts to nearby users."
The Vigilante creators have posted a manifesto explaining their ideas.
Online commenters have already noticed there may be some risks.
The only reason this wasn't a script for a season 4 or 5 episode of Person of Interest is that Samaritan already had near-ubiquitous surveillance access. Mind you, monitoring who was an enthusiastic user of this app might have been a handy way for it to identify potential sympathetic assets.
That really was one of the most prophetic shows on TV.
posted by Major Clanger at 4:04 AM on October 28, 2016 [13 favorites]
That really was one of the most prophetic shows on TV.
posted by Major Clanger at 4:04 AM on October 28, 2016 [13 favorites]
Is this just a cleverly disguised trailer for Black Mirror Series 4?
posted by askmeaboutboardgames at 4:09 AM on October 28, 2016 [34 favorites]
posted by askmeaboutboardgames at 4:09 AM on October 28, 2016 [34 favorites]
Is there any chance this is satire? You wouldn't actually name the thing Vigilante if you were serious, right?
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 4:13 AM on October 28, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 4:13 AM on October 28, 2016 [5 favorites]
Rejected names include Angrymobb'r, Pitchforkify, and Lynch.io.
posted by Behemoth at 4:14 AM on October 28, 2016 [89 favorites]
posted by Behemoth at 4:14 AM on October 28, 2016 [89 favorites]
It is indeed entirely possible that this is satire or a fake to garner internet outrage. However, I haven't been able to find anything yet to prove or disprove, and apparently the app is indeed available if you're in NYC. A user on reddit also found a job posting for a "crime center communications associate" that is linked to the company via the magic of Whois.
Let's hope it's satire!
posted by Stark at 4:20 AM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
Let's hope it's satire!
posted by Stark at 4:20 AM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
Is there any chance this is satire?
It has a horribly plausible combination of the following:
'Disruptive tech'
Outsourcing of societal functions to the public
Pervasive social media
Crime paranoia
Self-protection fetishism
I'm frankly amazed it hasn't already reached IPO.
posted by Major Clanger at 4:21 AM on October 28, 2016 [30 favorites]
It has a horribly plausible combination of the following:
'Disruptive tech'
Outsourcing of societal functions to the public
Pervasive social media
Crime paranoia
Self-protection fetishism
I'm frankly amazed it hasn't already reached IPO.
posted by Major Clanger at 4:21 AM on October 28, 2016 [30 favorites]
Because Marvel would probably sue if it was called Punishr.
posted by Halloween Jack at 4:31 AM on October 28, 2016 [21 favorites]
posted by Halloween Jack at 4:31 AM on October 28, 2016 [21 favorites]
Major Clanger, while those are arguments consistent with it being a real thing, they are also consistent with it being some really on-point social commentary. However, I too have the depressing feeling that this is probably real. Hopefully it will be short-lived.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 4:34 AM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 4:34 AM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
What if everyone within a quarter mile of every reported crime were immediately made aware of it?Burglars using the app: “Hey, someone spotted us. Let's move.”
posted by farlukar at 4:38 AM on October 28, 2016 [18 favorites]
Do I get a little red beret for my iPhone with it?
posted by thelonius at 4:39 AM on October 28, 2016 [13 favorites]
posted by thelonius at 4:39 AM on October 28, 2016 [13 favorites]
The production values on the trailer are a little too good for Silicon Valley BadIdeaCo, but I guess stranger things have happened. Plus "Good luck out there!" is either in shamefully bad taste or a wink.
If this is real, though, I would like to get on the Mars rocket right the fuck now.
posted by uncleozzy at 4:43 AM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
If this is real, though, I would like to get on the Mars rocket right the fuck now.
posted by uncleozzy at 4:43 AM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
This feels like viral marketing for a video game.
posted by I-baLL at 4:45 AM on October 28, 2016 [6 favorites]
posted by I-baLL at 4:45 AM on October 28, 2016 [6 favorites]
(more specifically, for Watch Dogs)
posted by I-baLL at 4:47 AM on October 28, 2016 [12 favorites]
posted by I-baLL at 4:47 AM on October 28, 2016 [12 favorites]
Which, conveniently, just went gold yesterday.
posted by uncleozzy at 4:54 AM on October 28, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by uncleozzy at 4:54 AM on October 28, 2016 [5 favorites]
And as one, the entire population of Gotham...Manhattan cried out "I'm Batman!"
posted by briank at 5:00 AM on October 28, 2016 [7 favorites]
posted by briank at 5:00 AM on October 28, 2016 [7 favorites]
> And as one, the entire population of Gotham...Manhattan cried out "I'm Batman!"
... and so is my wife!
posted by farlukar at 5:02 AM on October 28, 2016 [12 favorites]
... and so is my wife!
posted by farlukar at 5:02 AM on October 28, 2016 [12 favorites]
Their website appears to be on github. If I were looking at a live video streaming system, I'd probably have enough amazon boxes that throwing the website up on one would be a no brainer, instead of leaving it to github's tender mercies.
➜ ~ dig www.vigilante.live ; <>> DiG 9.8.3-P1 <>> www.vigilante.live ;; global options: +cmd ;; Got answer: ;; ->>HEADER opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 65395 ;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 4, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 0 ;; QUESTION SECTION: ;www.vigilante.live. IN A ;; ANSWER SECTION: www.vigilante.live. 59 IN CNAME sp0n-7.github.io. sp0n-7.github.io. 3599 IN CNAME github.map.fastly.net. github.map.fastly.net. 86 IN CNAME prod.github.map.fastlylb.net. prod.github.map.fastlylb.net. 28 IN A 151.101.32.133 ;; Query time: 128 msec ;; SERVER: 8.8.8.8#53(8.8.8.8) ;; WHEN: Fri Oct 28 07:57:09 2016 ;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 156Same w/ www.sp0n.com, the "company" bringing this to us:
~ dig www.sp0n.com ; <>> DiG 9.8.3-P1 <>> www.sp0n.com ;; global options: +cmd ;; Got answer: ;; HEADER opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 44708 ;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 4, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 0 ;; QUESTION SECTION: ;www.sp0n.com. IN A ;; ANSWER SECTION: www.sp0n.com. 21599 IN CNAME sp0n-7.github.io. sp0n-7.github.io. 3599 IN CNAME github.map.fastly.net. github.map.fastly.net. 2993 IN CNAME prod.github.map.fastlylb.net. prod.github.map.fastlylb.net. 17 IN A 151.101.32.133 ;; Query time: 222 msec ;; SERVER: 8.8.8.8#53(8.8.8.8) ;; WHEN: Fri Oct 28 08:02:35 2016 ;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 150posted by jenkinsEar at 5:04 AM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
This is a real app and these are real users
I have "real users" demographics-related questions.
posted by middleclasstool at 5:06 AM on October 28, 2016 [7 favorites]
I have "real users" demographics-related questions.
posted by middleclasstool at 5:06 AM on October 28, 2016 [7 favorites]
So we're supposed to believe that post-911 the NYPD decided to open up an API to their 911 system and let these bozos do a real time integration with it?
C'mon, man.
posted by jenkinsEar at 5:10 AM on October 28, 2016 [14 favorites]
C'mon, man.
posted by jenkinsEar at 5:10 AM on October 28, 2016 [14 favorites]
Requires your cell phone number to activate the app via text message. I think I won't give them my cell phone number. (Which has become, like the ssn, the preferred way for salesbots and other bad actors to easily aggregate all the data they have on you.)
posted by ccaajj aka chrispy at 5:11 AM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by ccaajj aka chrispy at 5:11 AM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
I can't tell the difference between tech bros, vile racists, paranoid assholes, and viral marketing anymore. I'm rapidly approaching the point at which I don't really care. I'm pretty comfortable with a sweeping "fuck these people" for all possible cases.
posted by phooky at 5:12 AM on October 28, 2016 [41 favorites]
posted by phooky at 5:12 AM on October 28, 2016 [41 favorites]
uber, but for cops...
posted by ennui.bz at 5:27 AM on October 28, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by ennui.bz at 5:27 AM on October 28, 2016 [4 favorites]
Vigilante has developed technology that opens up the existing 911 system
Even if they have (and they haven't) that shizz would be blocked before the pixels were dry on the press release.
posted by Optamystic at 5:38 AM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
Even if they have (and they haven't) that shizz would be blocked before the pixels were dry on the press release.
posted by Optamystic at 5:38 AM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
Well, this is fascinating.
The multiple, serious avenues of abuse are obvious ; there are clearly some steps made to bound them off (knowing who the people are, their location and camera data immediately streamed to their servers), but still...my immediate reaction is 'viral' because the immediate reaction I get is 'that's batshit insane'.
Interesting times.
posted by sektah at 5:41 AM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
The multiple, serious avenues of abuse are obvious ; there are clearly some steps made to bound them off (knowing who the people are, their location and camera data immediately streamed to their servers), but still...my immediate reaction is 'viral' because the immediate reaction I get is 'that's batshit insane'.
Interesting times.
posted by sektah at 5:41 AM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
So we're supposed to believe that post-911 the NYPD decided to open up an API to their 911 system and let these bozos do a real time integration with it?
C'mon, man.
Their promotional video makes it look as though their "dispatcher" only got wind of the call after it was sent out over public radio frequency. Which means that, on top of all the other horrible parts of this idea, now we're playing a game of telephone with whatever poor schmuck is making 9 bucks an hour to transcribe the radio calls into real-time app alerts.
posted by Mayor West at 5:45 AM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
C'mon, man.
Their promotional video makes it look as though their "dispatcher" only got wind of the call after it was sent out over public radio frequency. Which means that, on top of all the other horrible parts of this idea, now we're playing a game of telephone with whatever poor schmuck is making 9 bucks an hour to transcribe the radio calls into real-time app alerts.
posted by Mayor West at 5:45 AM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
What if everyone within a quarter mile of every reported crime were immediately made aware of it?
Probably wouldn't make much difference.
posted by Bringer Tom at 5:49 AM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
Probably wouldn't make much difference.
posted by Bringer Tom at 5:49 AM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
Point for this being, unfortunately, real: sp0n is registered in NYC to Andrew Frame -- probably of actual-company Ooma -- at a newly-renovated office building in Soho.
posted by uncleozzy at 5:56 AM on October 28, 2016
posted by uncleozzy at 5:56 AM on October 28, 2016
The only thing this video is missing is a tagline at the end: "I'm George Zimmerman and I approve this message"
posted by any major dude at 6:03 AM on October 28, 2016 [6 favorites]
posted by any major dude at 6:03 AM on October 28, 2016 [6 favorites]
Is there any chance this is satire? You wouldn't actually name the thing Vigilante if you were serious, right?
I dunno, Soylent and Palantir are pretty ominous names for controversial businesses.
posted by Foci for Analysis at 6:07 AM on October 28, 2016 [14 favorites]
I dunno, Soylent and Palantir are pretty ominous names for controversial businesses.
posted by Foci for Analysis at 6:07 AM on October 28, 2016 [14 favorites]
This has so much more potential as a silly AR advergame than as a real, awful, product. I am going to be so disappointed.
posted by uncleozzy at 6:10 AM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by uncleozzy at 6:10 AM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
From a related corner of the multiverse, 2012 edition: Girls Around Me.
(Coming soon: Rwandan-style Genocide Bros Near Me, Lynch Mobs Near Me, PvP Ingres With Live Ammo Near Me ...)
posted by cstross at 6:31 AM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
(Coming soon: Rwandan-style Genocide Bros Near Me, Lynch Mobs Near Me, PvP Ingres With Live Ammo Near Me ...)
posted by cstross at 6:31 AM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
And thanks to the recent acquittal of the Bundys, all the wannabe Rambo types are going to be feeling invulnerable, so they're going to be **READY** to go find some scary brown people so they can "fear for their lives" and then "stand their ground".
And given the way the NYPD has been acting like a puppet of the KKK, I wouldn't be surprised if they let the wannabe Rambo types get away with it.
posted by sotonohito at 6:56 AM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
And given the way the NYPD has been acting like a puppet of the KKK, I wouldn't be surprised if they let the wannabe Rambo types get away with it.
posted by sotonohito at 6:56 AM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
BentFranklin, as long as they're white the cops will probably give them a chance to surrender. Rolling up and just murdering someone the instant you see them is (mostly) reserved for black boys, even the most threatening of white people are generally allowed the opportunity to explain themselves and surrender.
posted by sotonohito at 7:02 AM on October 28, 2016 [7 favorites]
posted by sotonohito at 7:02 AM on October 28, 2016 [7 favorites]
CHARLES BRONSON JOKE
posted by chococat at 7:36 AM on October 28, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by chococat at 7:36 AM on October 28, 2016 [3 favorites]
Retool this app to focus exclusively on reporting delivery vehicles and taxis parked in bike lanes, and it will have my unwavering support.
posted by schmod at 7:41 AM on October 28, 2016 [10 favorites]
posted by schmod at 7:41 AM on October 28, 2016 [10 favorites]
This city is afraid of me...I have seen its true face. The streets are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood and when the drains finally scab over, all the vermin will drown. The accumulated filth of all their sex and murder will foam up about their waists and all the whores and politicians will look up and shout "Save us!"... and I'll look down and whisper "Click here to win an iPhone 7."
posted by Sangermaine at 7:44 AM on October 28, 2016 [40 favorites]
posted by Sangermaine at 7:44 AM on October 28, 2016 [40 favorites]
Would crime as we know it still exist? Could we restore trust between law enforcement and community? Could we eliminate bias and injustice?
Yes. No. No.
Next question.
posted by Splunge at 7:44 AM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
Yes. No. No.
Next question.
posted by Splunge at 7:44 AM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
What if everyone within a quarter mile of every reported crime were immediately made aware of it?
Probably wouldn't make much difference.
It'd be nice if people invoking Kitty Genovese would actually even read about it. Y'know, read the article you linked to.
Her death is attributable to police indifference, not neighborhood indifference.
posted by explosion at 7:49 AM on October 28, 2016 [22 favorites]
The viral marketing for Orwell is getting out of hand.
posted by tobascodagama at 7:58 AM on October 28, 2016
posted by tobascodagama at 7:58 AM on October 28, 2016
I can't wait to see how they're gonna monetize this. No way emergency services is going to pay them for sending a bunch of wannabe Batmen out to every call that comes in, and no one would pay for a service that requires them to intervene in crimes. That leaves advertising. Do you think they'll try to market you on crime-prevention stuff when you're idly logged in? Or, as you're dashing across the street to intervene in a dastardly crime, will the app start loudly proclaiming that you'd be running EVEN FASTER with a new pair of Keds?
posted by Mayor West at 8:38 AM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Mayor West at 8:38 AM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
ennui.bz: "uber, but for cops..."
Uber, for Alles.
posted by chavenet at 8:49 AM on October 28, 2016 [30 favorites]
Uber, for Alles.
posted by chavenet at 8:49 AM on October 28, 2016 [30 favorites]
This is entirely possible. There's already a service that sends you texts if there is a 911 call within your neighborhood - they often get discussed on our neighborhood's Facebook page. This seems like continuing in that direction... and then going waaaaay too far.
It's the social media parts of this that makes it dangerous - all the other stuff was already available. Who knows what sort George Zimmerman gathering of cop wannabes will gather.
posted by charred husk at 8:57 AM on October 28, 2016
It's the social media parts of this that makes it dangerous - all the other stuff was already available. Who knows what sort George Zimmerman gathering of cop wannabes will gather.
posted by charred husk at 8:57 AM on October 28, 2016
What deeply confuses me, is that there seems no way (currently) to conclusively figure out if this is real and as-described or just a piece of highly sophisticated satire.
posted by Faintdreams at 9:02 AM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Faintdreams at 9:02 AM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
I see no way this could possibly go horribly horribly wrong.
It reminds me of Sketchfactor but, like, even more likely to be horrifying.
posted by AndrewInDC at 9:15 AM on October 28, 2016
It reminds me of Sketchfactor but, like, even more likely to be horrifying.
posted by AndrewInDC at 9:15 AM on October 28, 2016
My prediction: this is viral marketing, but someone is going to get killed. Either by this apps users, or by the cops as a result of being in the wrong place at the wrong time(either someone using the app or some random bystander)
Whoever thought this was clever deserves to lose their shirt, pants, and any other clothing in court. And possibly worse.
And yes, I'm adamantly convinced this is some kind of promotional stunt. Not that the alternative is any better, but it just screams that to me.
posted by emptythought at 9:16 AM on October 28, 2016
Whoever thought this was clever deserves to lose their shirt, pants, and any other clothing in court. And possibly worse.
And yes, I'm adamantly convinced this is some kind of promotional stunt. Not that the alternative is any better, but it just screams that to me.
posted by emptythought at 9:16 AM on October 28, 2016
Bullshit.
There is absolutely, positively no way the NYPD would ever dream of sharing 911 data with anyone in realtime ever , in perpetuity, throughout the multiverse, in any format, real or imagined.
posted by Freen at 9:28 AM on October 28, 2016
There is absolutely, positively no way the NYPD would ever dream of sharing 911 data with anyone in realtime ever , in perpetuity, throughout the multiverse, in any format, real or imagined.
posted by Freen at 9:28 AM on October 28, 2016
Empathy, but for late capitalism.
posted by Bob Regular at 9:29 AM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Bob Regular at 9:29 AM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
There is absolutely, positively no way the NYPD would ever dream of sharing 911 data with anyone in realtime ever , in perpetuity, throughout the multiverse, in any format, real or imagined.
Ahem.
posted by valkane at 9:51 AM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
Ahem.
posted by valkane at 9:51 AM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
oh wow i stupidly thought the purpose of this would be so that citizen watchdogs could go to the site of arrests/police actions in progress to make sure no minorities were having their civil rights violated
i'm worried i might have some kind of head injury now
posted by poffin boffin at 10:15 AM on October 28, 2016 [22 favorites]
i'm worried i might have some kind of head injury now
posted by poffin boffin at 10:15 AM on October 28, 2016 [22 favorites]
Freen: "There is absolutely, positively no way the NYPD would ever dream of sharing 911 data with anyone in realtime ever , in perpetuity, throughout the multiverse, in any format, real or imagined."
EyeCitizen - my wife is subscribed to this. It isn't secret data. This is one of those times where it the info was already available (911 calls) but a new presentation catches a lot of people off guard.
posted by charred husk at 10:22 AM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
EyeCitizen - my wife is subscribed to this. It isn't secret data. This is one of those times where it the info was already available (911 calls) but a new presentation catches a lot of people off guard.
posted by charred husk at 10:22 AM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
poffin boffin: "oh wow i stupidly thought the purpose of this would be so that citizen watchdogs could go to the site of arrests/police actions in progress to make sure no minorities were having their civil rights violated"
Mattr?
posted by chavenet at 10:23 AM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
Mattr?
posted by chavenet at 10:23 AM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
Wait....wasn't this app supposed to go only to cell phone users in that area who have carry permits?
posted by mule98J at 11:05 AM on October 28, 2016
posted by mule98J at 11:05 AM on October 28, 2016
"You're under arrest for the future murder of..."
posted by prepmonkey at 11:38 AM on October 28, 2016
posted by prepmonkey at 11:38 AM on October 28, 2016
Uber, for Alles.
Dr. Strangelove pitches yconbinator...Mein Fuhrer Herr Thiel, zees is mein shtaart-op ideea...
posted by ennui.bz at 11:42 AM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
Dr. Strangelove pitches yconbinator...
posted by ennui.bz at 11:42 AM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
If this app isn't a joke, its going to lead to a lot of black people getting shot or arrested for helping white people. The absolute last thing our climate needs is an app that encourages POC to being running to the scene of an alleged crime.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 12:42 PM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 12:42 PM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
This comment sums up their blinders pretty well
chris sobolewski An innocent person is going to die because of your idiocy, and that blood will be on your hands.
Vigilante: We encourage all our users to use this app responsibly and within our terms and conditions — any violation, including hate speech, violence, endangering others, or using this information to commit crimes will result in an immediate ban from our community and app. Our only goal is to help keep people safe.
Then why are you wink-nod encouraging them to start running to a crime in progress? Do they know Luke Cage and Daredevil are scripted shows?
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 1:00 PM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
chris sobolewski An innocent person is going to die because of your idiocy, and that blood will be on your hands.
Vigilante: We encourage all our users to use this app responsibly and within our terms and conditions — any violation, including hate speech, violence, endangering others, or using this information to commit crimes will result in an immediate ban from our community and app. Our only goal is to help keep people safe.
Then why are you wink-nod encouraging them to start running to a crime in progress? Do they know Luke Cage and Daredevil are scripted shows?
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 1:00 PM on October 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
The absolute last thing our climate needs is an app that encourages POC to being running to the scene of an alleged crime.
Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. I don't think this app is targeting POC.
posted by tobascodagama at 1:45 PM on October 28, 2016
Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. I don't think this app is targeting POC.
posted by tobascodagama at 1:45 PM on October 28, 2016
I don't think this app is targeting POC.
I can imagine this app in the hands of a bunch of gentrifying racists on Nextdoor all hitting the panic button when the black Amazon delivery guy makes the mistake of driving down the same street in one day. A mob of digitally-enabled Bernhard Goetzes show up ready to 'take back their neighborhood from thugs'!
In that respect, POC are the target, but I get what you mean.
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 2:51 PM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
I can imagine this app in the hands of a bunch of gentrifying racists on Nextdoor all hitting the panic button when the black Amazon delivery guy makes the mistake of driving down the same street in one day. A mob of digitally-enabled Bernhard Goetzes show up ready to 'take back their neighborhood from thugs'!
In that respect, POC are the target, but I get what you mean.
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 2:51 PM on October 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
The name is a matter of marketing. We don't allow direct advertising here, yet here we are discussing it, and the app's author's are hope that people will hear about it, try it out, and tell their friends.
Their point isn't invalid though - that by the time the police are able to get to the scene of a crime, the criminals are usually long gone, especially when the crime is petty theft. Who hasn't been angry when you find your car's been broken into and dreamed about ways to somehow get back at them?
If this becomes popular, it will certainly go awry, but the NYC police scanner twitter feed has been around since 2010, but before that, people owned police scanners until they were made illegal, and then they owned illegal police scanners.
posted by fragmede at 9:03 AM on October 29, 2016
Their point isn't invalid though - that by the time the police are able to get to the scene of a crime, the criminals are usually long gone, especially when the crime is petty theft. Who hasn't been angry when you find your car's been broken into and dreamed about ways to somehow get back at them?
If this becomes popular, it will certainly go awry, but the NYC police scanner twitter feed has been around since 2010, but before that, people owned police scanners until they were made illegal, and then they owned illegal police scanners.
posted by fragmede at 9:03 AM on October 29, 2016
You hear that everybody? If you use this app for bad stuff or get someone killed, YOU WILL BE BANNED.
posted by rhizome at 9:25 AM on October 29, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by rhizome at 9:25 AM on October 29, 2016 [3 favorites]
Outsourcing of societal functions to the public
Wait I'm confused
posted by maniabug at 6:26 PM on October 29, 2016 [1 favorite]
Wait I'm confused
posted by maniabug at 6:26 PM on October 29, 2016 [1 favorite]
Crime-reporting app Vigilante kicked off App Store over Apple's content concerns
posted by cynical pinnacle at 4:47 PM on November 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by cynical pinnacle at 4:47 PM on November 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
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