What about an activist app?

[marym625]

Maybe something like this already exists but I can't find it.

I had a poll up about what we have to address to stop our quick slide into the downfall of our country. In the thread it popped into my mind we should have an app for activists that would be something like Grinder. (Not meaning we end up doing each other ) But a way to connect, share ideas easily and quickly. To cause meet ups and promote protests, rallies, brainstorming, etc.

Eleanors38 said, "if it can replicate the legitimacy of, say, a Walter Cronkite. I believe any effort should be accompanied by regular get togethers, the in-person variety. Instead of ponderous conventions, a series of local/regional social & working events (wk. ends?), with maybe one culminating yearly event. It doesn't all have to be in one locale, but many in one day can be tied together by the net, giving real time-certain unity, and instilling anticipation for the next gathering. 

These are nuts & bolts, but something has to be done to break through the malaise."

I am a computer idiot and haven't a clue how to do this. I really think this is something that could help and get people who might normally not, to be involved.

Any thoughts? Suggestions? Does this already exist?

[clydefrand]

1. Have you taken a look at DU's

'discussionist.com'? It is meant for long discussions I think?

[marym625]

2. Yes

I don't get your point. You don't think I should have posted this here?

[clydefrand]

3. Maybe I misunderstood you inquiry

[marym625]

4. Well I am confused

What do you think I am asking? And what is wrong with the post?

If I shouldn't have posted it, can you please explain why?

Thank you

[marym625]

5. I am looking for ideas on an activist app

I really don't think Disscussionist would be a good place to talk about that.

But I really don't understand what you are saying. I will delete the post if it is wrong to put up for some reason

[Eleanors38]

6. The "app" might merely be an enabling device for

a coherent community-based movement in its formative stage, and a "news channel" for a more mature movement. Some I-net critics point to the vacuum of legitimacy left by the collapse of the Big 3 t.v. nets and the dailies. These are/were mass media which, with all their imperfections, served to legitimize issues & values for community action. It is failing. Now, some big sites seem to be searching for a way to fill the void. Maybe it will be through some outfit like Reddit. Perhaps an app can be an outgrowth of a larger site. Maybe the app can be the actual beginning of community consciousness.

The point is, our society is increasingly atomized, and unless the notion of community is ideologically and explicitly rejected (in favor of what, I don't know), we have to face the fact community is fading to history, esp. referencing progressives.

Is there a quick, tech fix? Or a series of BBQs in the park? A campfire in the woods?

[marym625]

7. I'm really disappointed in the lack of response to this

I really think it's a great idea. I wanted input. I was hoping for someone that might actually know how to create one. Maybe activists isn't the place to post this?

I am not giving up. And a BBQ would be awesome. Up here in Chicago though, very limited time left for that gathering

[TheWorldOwl]

13. happening

This is already starting to take place i'd recommend looking up livestream app.

What is missing from this is some kind of "mob flash" of livestream users to the location of the story / protest.

[Chathamization]

8. I was actually thinking about the same thing myself recently.

I think the big stumbling block on any of these - apps, websites, etc. for organizing is getting the word out and getting people to actually join. There already are some venues out there, meetup.com is a decent place, and Facebook can be OK sometimes though it's usually horrible (messaging any comment I make on any group to everyone I'm friends with keeps me from participating in groups...and pisses me off a lot).

Having said that, I do think an app or website tailored to activist networking could be great if it got some attention. What might the next steps be? Not many people seem to visit this forum. Maybe we could make weekly posts in GD to try to get the ball rolling on some of these ideas?

[marym625]

9. Thank you for replying

I am going to try to find a programmer that is also an activist. I think that anything that already exists won't work. Just too much non interested people and people who want to dissuade us.

I am open to any and all ideas. But yeah, GD seems to be the only place you get more than just a couple replies.

Thank you. I appreciate all input. I am at a point where I honestly believe that the only answer is some kind of revolution. The system we have doesn't work for anyone but the "haves."

[marym625]

17. check out WorldOwl's

Posts on this thread!

[TheWorldOwl]

10. I have the perfect idead

http://theworldowl.wordpress.com/2014/09/11/mixing-software-freedom-rights/

Before we get started, we need to understand what OCR technology is. To put it simply its the technology / software used to read forms, letters, and numbers. For example when you scan a hand written document into digital text or take a picture of a check for a deposit.

Now imagine an app for civil rights and fairness that asks you to go to city hall and take a picture of a specific public document. As the picture is taken of the document the information is put into a database using OCR software.

An algorithm looks for anomalies aka corruption using the database and makes request for specific files. Anyone using the app can go to City Hall and request the document.

The app would also have user input. As documents are scanned they will be fragmented and displayed to random users. For example, the app could displays $30 for 2 hammers from Bills Hardware Store from Department of Road Maintenance. The user would have a hot or not style choice except in this case it would be corrupt or not.

Based on the corrupt flags document requests would be made. The data could be viewable online as well as through the app.

[marym625]

11. I understand most of what you said

But I am not sure how it would be applied to an app like this.

Are you a programmer?

[TheWorldOwl]

12. This is how in works as an app...

Last edited Sat Sep 27, 2014, 05:56 PM - Edit history (1)

I am a developer, and I do some 3D / post production as a hobby. To explain further let's use an an example.

Situation 1)
You at the store in line you load up "fairness" app. After it loads splash screen and all, you see a message and it's this....

Hammer $35 Department of Repair

below you would see a "hot or not" style option. The option in this case would be "Suspicious", "Not Suspicious", or "Don't know".

This seems normal to you, you click the "Not Suspicious" button. similar to hot or not it moves to the next. This time you see this...

EZtainment $15000 Department of Justice
Again you would see the "Suspicious", "Not Suspicious", or "Don't know" option and choose accordingly.

Just like Hot or Not you could see the hottest, in this case we would see the 'Most Suspicious".

Situation 2) Which actually comes first, but easier to understand if explained last
volunteers go to city hall and ask for public records. one by one they simply take a picture of each document.

Which as I explained earlier, once that's done the app uses OCR to "read" it into chunks explained into situation 1

Overall)
'Most Suspicious" list would be open to the public, including journalists.
With all this data being accumulated on politics, you could very realistically include 3rd party pattern recognition looking for corruption as a version 1.5 or 2.

I almost forgot to mention the bigger the database gets the more corruption it will find, version 1.5/2 would start linking things together that you normally couldn't catch, in turn making request for documents acting as computational detective, using users as data miners and verifiers.

For the upgrade you could go even further, if the user input skills (s)he had, data could be veted for that user giving better accuracy.

** I updated this post so many times...lol

[marym625]

14. OH THAT'S AWESOME!

I love that.

I gotta find somebody! Thanks so much for explaining.

[TheWorldOwl]

15. If you have any, and I mean any questions.... PLEASE ASK!!! That goes for anyone else.

If you have any, and I mean any questions.... PLEASE ASK!!! That goes for anyone else.

We should coordinate, while i still have some free time for the next 2 weeks, and if I work hard on my current project, maybe 2.5

I have a list of similar ideas

http://TheWorldOwl.WordPress.com
tumblr: tunz

I recommend you read
#NotRedOrBlue (Not Red or Blue)
If Corporations are "People", could you sue under the Civil Rights Act 1964, that you're being discriminated against by a group of "People"
#ThePeoplesBailout, Is Protesting for Profit Ethical? (Which I was goona post as a topic as soon I have enough post in Economic Activism and Progressive Living)
Existing open-source softwares could build transparent government? Blender + Cryptocurrency

[marym625]

16. THANK YOU!!!!!!!

Big

[uppityperson]

18. What does "Donkeys ass blue or elephant turd red, who do you vote for? " mean?

You say you aren't saying vote independent, so are you saying don't vote? Please clarify, thankyou.