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Charity Promotes Covert Surveillance App For Suicide Prevention

Posted by samzenpus on from the keeping-an-eye-on-things dept.

VoiceOfDoom writes Major UK charity The Samaritans have launched an app titled "Samaritans Radar", in an attempt to help Twitter users identify when their friends are in crisis and in need of support. Unfortunately the privacy implications appear not to have been thought through — installing the app allows it to monitor the Twitter feeds of all of your followers, searching for particular phrases or words which might indicate they are in distress. The app then sends you an email suggesting you contact your follower to offer your help. Opportunities for misuse by online harassers are at the forefront of the concerns that have been raised, in addition; there is strong evidence to suggest that this use of personal information is illegal, being in contravention of UK Data Protection law.

2 of 74 comments (clear)

  1. "Opportunities" for problems aren't problems by mozumder · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    I see this a lot among nerds trying to think too hard - they conflate theory with practice.

    If surveillance solves problems, then that's it. You don't need to worry about what "might" happen.

    Nerds need to figure out that life isn't based on theory. This is why they think the NSA is a bad thing, when most REAL people think they're fine and performing a public service.

    The nerds need to go out in the real world more to discover how society behaves, instead of hanging out behind their computers conjecturing on how society is.

    1. Re:"Opportunities" for problems aren't problems by sexconker · · Score: -1, Flamebait

      I see this a lot among nerds trying to think too hard - they conflate theory with practice.

      If surveillance solves problems, then that's it. You don't need to worry about what "might" happen.

      Nerds need to figure out that life isn't based on theory. This is why they think the NSA is a bad thing, when most REAL people think they're fine and performing a public service.

      The nerds need to go out in the real world more to discover how society behaves, instead of hanging out behind their computers conjecturing on how society is.

      When I shit in your mouth, would you prefer my balls to be on your chin or on your nose?