Issues in Digital Media

This app will start with voice recognition and this can be a phase that can be programmed onto the app. There will be various phrases that the app has pre-programmed to recognize the admin’s voice. Before using the app, it is necessary to test out the user voices so that the app recognizes the user and authorizes its use when needed.

• Example phrases that the app will have is that “Siri, show me the nearest pizza”, this is only when there the victim is in a domestic abuse situation and the victim is not able to start recording without their abuser raising any concerns. In this time, the app is also able to call 911 and get the victim’s location

• Another phrase that the app could have is “OK, officer” and this can be recognized by the phone when the user is being pulled over in a traffic stop or at security checkpoints.

• These statements can be changed and recognized with specific phrases or custom phrases that the app will be able to recognized. There will be only 3 phrases that the user can use as their primary phrases, either from the custom or pre-programmed phrases from the app. However, if the user chooses to use more than 3 phrases, there is that option as well.

The app can also start with three quick presses on the home button. If the phone does not have a home button, then the other option, is to press quickly twice on the volume button(the one that increases sound).

The way the app is able to end recording is through the same method, through voice recognition. For example, the user could say “Stop, recording”.

• When using voice recognition, only one phrase can be used as a primary phrase so that it does not get confused with other starting phrases.

There is a way to start recording if one/both hands are not available, there will be magnet in the phone case that will be provided with the purchase of the app. This magnet can be used to put the phone on car hoods or metal walls.  

When the application is recording, there will a text message that will be sent immediately to the user’s phone indicating that the recording has started.

Another way of ending the app is to manually hold down the home button or the volume button.

Similar to Snapchat or iCloud, the app will store videos and audio over the internet. This is saying that, if the user chooses to make an account on this app, all of the contents will be accessible to the user through the web and the application. Their content will be visible and accessible to them, if they choose not to erase it. These files will have time stamps, in order to for the user to testify for themselves or anyone else. The time stamps can provide a direct fact for the user and their defense. These files can be saved to their phone but, they are mainly saved on the internet and can be used if the user has a working internet connection. That being said, the user has the option of downloading this content and using the audio/video recordings for their own fair use. However, when the user does download the contents, he/she will be notified that by downloading their content, it will delegitimize the video’s contents. With the addition of the application and there will a website that contains all of the user’s recording without the agency’s watermark. This watermark will appear if the user chooses to download their contents because if the user does download the recordings, they have the options of cutting certain clips and altering the footage to fit their own agenda.

At the bottom of every video recording, there will be a watermark regarding the agency. This implies that the using of this recording was through this application and that through this agency, they are linked to a justice organization.

This application could be used outwardly and discretely depending on the user’s preferences. For example, when using voice recognition to start recording, the user could choose to say “Start recording” or the user could say a discrete saying like “Ok, officer”. Another discrete way for the app to be used is by pressing the home button or the volume button. In addition, the text message that is sent when the user starts recording could also be altered. Instead of the text message saying that the user is currently recording, it can be changed to say that the text was sent from a friend instead.

When recording the footage, the app will not protect the identities of other non-enforcement individuals in the footage and the identity of the user. However, when the footage is saved through the internet, there will be two versions: one with the raw footage and the other one where the identities of the individuals will be blurred. Using a facial recognition software similar to Snapchat, the application will be able to recognize faces and blur out their identities. The reason why there is two different versions of the footage is because if the facial recognition fails and chooses to identify an object as a face, the footage would lose its authenticity. Another example would be if the person’s face is farther away than the camera lenses can reach, the facial recognition could possibly fail to recognize their face. In a trial, these two versions can be easily compared and used to defend a person’s case if the footage is not impaired.

The app’s live stream capabilities will enable the option of three main platforms: Facebook, Twitch and YouTube. The footage will stream to from these three given platforms, if the user does want the option to add more streaming platforms, there are other options like Twitter or Hitbox. While this app primarily concentrates on the one-on-one interactions with police officers, there are a few ways to enable streaming options for different situations. For example, in addition to starting the recordings (audio/video), there will also be voice recognition to enable the live streaming option. Another possible streaming mode is to use 3D touch on the iPhone. Since a text message will already be sent to the user’s phone when starting the recording, simply use 3D touch on the message and an option will be given that says ‘LIVE’. In the heat of the moment, the application will automatically stream from the platform that the user has an account in. If the user does not have an account in any platform or if there is an interruption in internet connection, the streaming will immediately terminate.

Questions? Concerns? Refer to 911.