SECURITY IS COMMUNITY - LESSONS FROM THE PANIC BUTTON EXPERIENCE - Amnesty International
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SECURITY IS COMMUNITY LESSONS FROM THE PANIC BUTTON EXPERIENCE
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Originally situated within the Security between HRDs and their networks. It did this the technical barriers faced during the pilot.
by collaborating with HRDs to understand A major technical bug was brought to the
with Human Rights Campaign at and build upon their existing practise and by attention of AI following the beta release on
Amnesty International (AI), the designing a flexible security framework that Google playstore in June 2014. This was the
would help them prepare for and manage ‘false alert’ problem whereby the app began to
Panic Button project was born out physical security threats. This framework send alert messages without the user having
of a desire to creatively engage with is called the PACT (Prepare-Act) and it proactively activated the alert. The false alert
was piloted - along with the app - with 120 bug was both frustrating and confusing for
technologists to positively impact on HRDs from 3 regions (Africa, Asia and Latin users and in some cases actively contributed
situations of enforced disappearances America) in a series of workshops and a testing to fear, as their contacts believed something
period between March and December 2014. had happened to them. While the team worked
and unlawful detention. hard to identify the cause of the problem,
Between November 2011 and January This evaluation report reflects on the learnings this was a major and unanticipated technical
2012 hundreds of designers, technologists of the Panic Button project since its inception challenge and its resolution was delayed
and human rights activists were invited to in 2011, documenting AI’s methodology due to resource and capacity constraints.
submit their ideas about how technology and approach and presenting feedback from After putting more resources towards the
could be used to help protect individuals at those it aimed to support. The report is resolution of the problem, the current version
risk as part of an open innovation challenge primarily based on qualitative insights gained has significantly diminished the problem,
AI ran in collaboration with design agency from 39 HRDs who participated in the pilot emphasizing the importance of sustained
openIDEO1. This was the first time AI workshops and the feedback and testimony technology support to address unforeseen
publically opened up its work to the input they provided in a series of surveys about issues and provide improvements long after
and ideas of the technology and design how they had used the app during the testing a technology project is first launched.
communities to seek new and creative period4. In addition, we draw on key insights
solutions to human rights challenges. provided by partners and the feedback of Despite this major technical hurdle, every
beta testers globally who reported technical respondent who completed the final survey
The open innovation challenge, which bugs to us following the public beta release said they would use Panic Button in the future
reaped 360 strong and creative concepts, on the Google playstore in June 2014. if the technical problems were fixed5. HRDs
set AI on the course to design and develop continued to reiterate its relevancy as a tool
a smartphone alert app for human rights While the data in this report is not statistically in their security plans, even as they noted its
defenders (HRDs) - the Panic Button App2. representative of the participants who took limitations. In two cases, for example, HRDs
The app aims to quickly and discretely alert an part in the global pilot, it gives insight into reported that they had faced a threat but
HRD’s network of an impending or occurring how the HRDs who took part feel about the were unable to use the Panic Button because
physical security threat when activated. overall Panic Button project. Throughout of lack of phone signal. Other reported
Following two years of design, development the report, suggestions and comments from limitations included not having enough time
and testing involving more than 150 human the pilot participants are incorporated. The to activate the device and not being able to
rights activists, 25 developers and a strong evaluation assesses many aspects of the use the app because their phones ran out
community of partners and advisers, a beta project – from the usability and utility of the of credit. HRDs noted that they often felt at
version of the app for Android was launched app itself to the effectiveness of the PACT higher risk when working in rural and isolated
on the Google playstore in June 2014 3. It framework. We hope that this evaluation communities and that poor telecommunication
has since been downloaded and tested by will provide useful insights for NGOs infrastructure represented a challenge to
5,000 users in countries across the world. and civil society, funders and technology their security. Despite these limitations,
developers interested in how technology respondents emphasized that the app could
From the outset the project was about much can be used to support HRD protection. support them in their work by helping them be
more than developing an app. At its centre, the more prepared for risks and making them feel
Panic Button project aimed to develop a model The strongly positive response from HRDs who confident that their networks would respond
for strong peer-to-peer response mechanisms responded to the surveys is notable in light of rapidly should something happen to them.
“The Panic Button is a fundamental strategy for alerting but also for
devising a security plan and articulating this with our contacts so that
the plan is strategic and coordinated…The workshop has forced us to
sit down and work out what would we do and how to be able to guarantee
a greater level of security for women human rights defenders.”
Human Rights Defender, Mexico
1
OpenIDEO and Amnesty International Open Innovation Challenge, How can technology help people working to uphold 3
Panic Button App (Beta), Google Playstore, online at: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.iilab.pb&hl=en
human rights in the face of unlawful detention?, online at: https://openideo.com/challenge/amnesty/brief
4
All surveys were conducted using Survey Monkey. There were three surveys in total over the testing period, in English
2
The project was funded with a $120,000 grant from the Ford Foundation followed by a £100,000 from the Google and Spanish. Only 39 people out of a total pilot group of 120 answered at least one of the surveys.
Global Impact Award. The Amnesty Swedish Fund and Amnesty Switzerland also contributed £25,000 to the project’s
Human Rights Defender demonstrates Panic Button global pilot. 5
23 participants responded to the final survey in December 2014. This represents 15% of the total participants who
during a workshop, Feb 2014 © Amnesty International took part in the pilot.
2 SECURITY IS COMMUNITY JULY 2015 JULY 2015 SECURITY IS COMMUNITY 3
HOW IT WORKS
1 2 3 4 5 6
TAKE TIME to Create a plan with CHECK you are ACTIVATE Panic Panic Button ALERTS Your network will continue
set-up Panic your contacts ready and that your Button in an your chosen contacts to receive updates of
Button somewhere so that they are mobile phone has emergency by rapidly that you are in trouble your location helping
safe and quiet. PREPARED to ACT credit and battery pressing the phone’s and sends a map link them to COORDINATE
power button to your location and RESPOND FAST
“In the dry run, a lawyer who was Feedback from participants revealed invested time and resources in testing and
feedback throughout. This was a mutual OPEN SOURCE
in my list called me up just few that the greatest contribution that learning process for both AI and the HRDs
the Panic Button project had made to we worked with, helping everyone gain Panic Button was developed using Open
minutes after the button was their security was the PACT framework greater understanding of how technology
interacts with security, both supporting HRD
Source licenses, allowing anyone to
freely access, use, modify, and share the
triggered, my wife provided me and security methodology. protection and also presenting new threats.
Several of the participants reported that they
application technology for any purpose.
with the map of my exact location. According to those who responded to the have previously found technology alienating,
reserved for those with a technology skillset
This choice has also enabled the
surveys, creating a PACT has made them, building of strong partnerships
So this would be very helpful and those close to them, more aware of or background. The Panic Button project has
helped HRDs to recognize the importance
with other organisations which
security concerns, frequently monitoring each have adopted these principles.
in real life. If only all HRDs in other’s security, improving communication of technology and to take ownership in
the development of technologies that can
and enhancing current security protocols. It has also allowed several
Basilan were equipped with the The PACT framework was integrated into support their own security and protection. technology partners to work in turns
HRD networks’ security protocols in a on the software development and
system, I could have responded number of countries. A participant from
the HRDs Network in Uganda commented
Overall, the varied feedback from our
users affirms that the greatest value of the
contributes to the aim of developing
a technology community that will
to friends and relatives who just that “Panic Button reinforced the already
existing individual and organizational
Panic Button project lies in the real-world
relationships between HRDs and their trusted
continue to improve Panic Button.
went missing many years ago.” security mechanisms” and that the PACT
“has formed a big part of our security
contacts, and the ways that these can be
strengthened for emergency response when
Human Rights Defender, Philippines management trainings”. In Honduras, a an HRD faces a situation of risk. In this
women human rights defenders network way, the Panic Button project represents
reported that it has integrated the PACT into a technology-based strategy for planning,
security protocols at the national level. mitigation and response to physical attacks on
HRDs and not simply a mobile alert tool. As
A further key learning has been the value one participant put it, “Security is community.
of integrating technology within traditional Having a PACT gives you a sense of security.”
human rights protection approaches. From
the beginning of the project, AI were aware
that involving HRDs in the design process “Security is community.
(Left) A human rights defender from El would be key to ensuring that the app
Salvador creates a visual map of the risks would work for its users. For this reason we Having a PACT gives you
she faces during a Panic Button workshop, engaged in a co-design process where we
April 2014 (© Amnesty International) involved HRDs in designing the project and a sense of security.”
4 SECURITY IS COMMUNITY JULY 2015 JULY 2015 SECURITY IS COMMUNITY 5
LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE Relying on mobile (and in particular challenges from arising. NGOs play a vital
smartphone) technology will limit the role in bridging software developers and
PANIC BUTTON PROJECT: utility of the app for many HRDs who user communities, however they generally
do not have the financial resources to lack expertise in product development. It is
There is tremendous value in employing access smartphones and/or live in areas recommended that NGOs invest in a long-term
user-led and co-design methodologies where connectivity and coverage issues partnership with an organization with technical
when developing technology-based render mobile phones ineffective. expertise and together share ownership of
approaches to security and protection delivery, recognizing that partners with diverse
within the human rights field. This includes Ensuring that a technology project is well expertise create a stronger end product.
ensuring that there are enough time and supported with adequate technical and
resources to work with user communities financial resources over time is essential to Mobile technology has inherent security
in a concerted and sustainable manner. ensure a high quality and reliable product, risks, particularly to HRDs and others
and quick response time when something who may be targeted and monitored by
It is important to focus beyond tools on goes wrong. This is even more crucial the state. Engaging experts to understand
creating technology-enabled strategies. when developing a tool on which people’s the threat model for your target users is
Great efforts must be taken when physical and emotional security depends. important, as is communicating the risks
designing a technology project to facilitate clearly so that users can take an informed
the necessary behavioural change that Building technology is hard and even decision before using the technology.
will support effective use of a tool. careful planning cannot prevent technical
“As we head to the 2016 elections back here in
Uganda, the Panic Button will be a key tool to
secure pro- democracy activists and journalists.”
Human Rights Defender, Uganda
WHERE NEXT FOR PANIC BUTTON?
Our vision is that by June 2017, dozens of
(Above) A Technology and Human Rights human rights networks around the world
design workshop takes place in Kenya, will have integrated Panic Button and the
Nov 2012 (© Amnesty International) PACT framework into their security protocols,
empowering HRDs at risk and their close
(Right) A Panic Button design exercise takes networks to feel more equipped to respond to
place with human rights defenders in Kenya, physical threats that occur in the course of
Nov 2012 (© Amnesty International) their work.
June 2015-June 2017, the Panic Button
initiative will focus on:
AI has benefitted immensely from management expertise that helped bring the importance of networking and
together the various dimensions of the project. information sharing in creating robust peer- developing and improving the existing app
working alongside partner organizations to-peer and network security mechanisms; and PACT materials and increasing their value
who contributed diverse expertise to For the future of the project, working with and relevancy to end-users by facilitating
partners that see the value in open and the role of participatory training product localization, adaptation and reuse;
the design and delivery of the project user centric methodologies will continue to methodologies to assist in practical and
and who will continue to play an even be key. For instance, one of the avenues to contextually relevant security planning; supporting local/national and international
explore is growing the community of open partners to deploy the app, by providing
greater role moving forward. source contributors who will focus their talent observations about both the role materials, advice/mentorship and growing a
The engine room, which investigates and and resources to improve Panic Button as a played by, and limitations of, technology network of ‘Panic Button’ trainers regionally
supports the effective use of technology by technology base that is capable of serving as a tool for HRD protection.
civil society, brought both strategic insights different needs. Our intention is to create a investing in research and development that
and practical advice during every phase ‘modular’ codebase so that Panic Button can AI’s strengths in relation to this will help Panic Button reach more people in
in the project’s implementation. Frontline easily be repurposed and packaged by others. project and the challenges we faced. remote/rural areas;
Defenders, an international organization
working to protect HRDs at risk, provided This evaluation of the Panic Button project We hope that this evaluation will help exploring interactive training methodologies
input into the development of the app and charts the development of the project from others who are interested in using for HRD security planning and emergency
training methodology and provided a further its inception, initial assumptions made, the technology to support HRDs to develop and response;
feedback loop with HRDs they support and development of the mobile app and PACT implement genuinely impactful projects.
train. Finally, iilab (information innovation framework, partnerships with HRD networks fostering stronger relationships and
lab), a small technology social enterprise, and other organizations and the learnings knowledge sharing within the sector, including
played the pivotal role in moving the project to that reshaped the project. We believe the by strengthening support within the open-
its beta launch and providing the technology evaluation provides rich insights about: source community.
6 SECURITY IS COMMUNITY JULY 2015 Index:ACT 10/2134/2015 JULY 2015 SECURITY IS COMMUNITY 7
iilab - information innovation lab - is a The engine room is a global team that Front Line Defenders is the International Foundation for
social enterprise using interdisciplinary supports the safe and effective use of data the Protection of Human Rights Defenders. We work to
thinking and innovative technology to enable and technology in advocacy. provide fast and effective action to help protect human
individual agency and social care networks. rights defenders at risk so they can continue their work as
key agents of social change.
IILAB.ORG THEENGINEROOM.ORG FRONTLINEDEFENDERS.ORG
Panic Button is an alert app for Android Amnesty International is a global movement of more
that aims to assist human rights defenders than 7 million people who campaign for a world where
at risk of enforced disappearance and human rights are enjoyed by all.
other kinds of attacks. The Panic Button
project is an initiative of Amnesty Our vision is for every person to enjoy all the rights
International in collaboration with key enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
advisors and partners including Front Line and other international human rights standards.
Defenders, iilab and the engine room.
We are independent of any government, political ideology,
economic interest or religion and are funded mainly by our
membership and public donations.
PANICBUTTON.IO AMNESTY.ORG
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