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Domestic abusers are exploiting smart home devices
Smart home devices are supposed to make life easier, but it's now apparent that their convenience carries unintended consequences for domestic abuse survivors. The New York Times has conducted interviews showing that abusers are exploiting smart speakers, security cameras, doorbells and other connected devices to control, harass and stalk their targets. The perpetrators will not only spy on their partners, but cause havoc with bursts of music, sudden changes in lighting or temperature and other attempts at intimidation.
Rihanna slams Snapchat over ad that mocked domestic violence
A few days ago, Snapchat allowed an ad on its platform that plenty of folks thought made light of domestic violence. The ad was apparently for a game and it asked if viewers would rather "Slap Rihanna" or "Punch Chris Brown," likely referencing Brown's 2009 felony assault on the pop star. Snap then apologized for letting the ad through, telling the BBC that the ad had been published in error and had been removed immediately. Now Rihanna has seen the ad and responded on her Instagram Story, and Snap came back with another apology.
Uber will donate $5 million to sexual assault prevention
Uber's quest to reform its behavior now includes donations to good causes. The ridesharing firm has promised to contribute $5 million over 5 years to organizations that help prevent sexual assault and domestic violence. The initial round of pledges will go to groups like A Call to Men, the National Network to End Domestic Violence and NO MORE, with a focus on tackling "critical funding gaps" in marginalized communities.
Smart home gadget ends a violent dispute by calling police (updated)
Inadvertent smart speaker commands aren't always bad. New Mexico police report that a smart home device (incorrectly labeled at first as a Google Home) intervened in a domestic violence incident by calling 911. When Eduardo Barros asked "did you call the sheriffs?" as he threatened his girlfriend with a gun during a fight, the device interpreted it as a request to call emergency services. They overheard the altercation and called both negotiators and a SWAT team, who arrested Barros over assault, battery and firearms charges after a stand-off.
Twitch user allegedly broadcasts assault on significant other
A Twitch user is under fire for purportedly broadcasting an assault on his partner. The account, belonging to "joedaddy505," has been closed on Twitch due to service violations, but at least one YouTube video of the stream contains audio of what sounds like the broadcaster repeatedly hitting a crying woman and insulting her. Viewers have speculated that since there was no video to go with the audio, "Joedaddy505" may have thought his stream had ended. When reached for comment, a Twitch spokesperson said that the company doesn't comment on service violations. We also asked Twitch if law enforcement had been contacted and were given the following response:
Verizon's HopeLine app for Android provides resources and support for victims of domestic violence
Verizon's HopeLine program has recycled old phones since 2001 by giving them (along with 3,000 minutes of service) to victims of domestic abuse so that they can talk to emergency and support services when needed. Now, Verizon has released a HopeLine app for Android that not only provides direct access to support services and the National Domestic Violence Hotline, but also allows users to engage others involved in domestic violence awareness by sharing their photos and videos. The app also provides information about making monetary and phone donations to HopeLine. Want to help with HopeLine? There's more info in the PR below, and you can grab the app at the source.
circleof6 app aims to prevent sexual violence
The White House put together a competition last year to try and encourage developers to build mobile apps dedicated to helping stop sexual violence, and a winner of that competition has just arrived in the App Store. circle of 6 is that app -- it's an emergency notifier that allows anyone to choose six close friends or family members, put all of their contact information in and have it be ready to go, and then be able to send a series of pre-entered texts that can be packed with information about when and where the user is. Within two taps, the app is designed to allow the user to send out everything they'd need to easily and quickly ask for help, regardless of where they are or what's going on. We covered both Circle of 6 and a few other contenders for the award back when the winners were announced last year, and a lot of good work went in to making this do what it's supposed to do. The app also has a lot of information included on how to help prevent sexual violence and dangerous situations when out and about, and there are also shortcuts to two national hotlines and even local emergency numbers. This is the kind of app that you really hope nobody has to ever use, but if someone who is in a dangerous situation has an opportunity to use it and get help, then all of this fine work will be completely worth it. Circle of 6 is a free download from the App Store right now. [hat tip to The Frisky]
