[Ssc-dev] Defining the Goals of Obscura/InformaCam(s)

[Sam Gregory]

Hi Nathan,

Thanks to you and Bryan for excellent work pulling out some of our implicit
assumptions. See below for some suggested modifications/expansion on these
goals.

One question that arises here - and I think its come up before in where the
'consent' function of the InformaCam sits - is how much to emphasize or
include that.

Based on timelines for Obscura video and Informa we need to build out
specific test sites/timings for both (see bolded). I'll look at what we
committed to in the Google proposal but we should do a specific focused
planning on this in the New Year with some key people on the WITNESS team
(and it will also involve allies' usage).

Sam

******************
*ObscuraCam*

*A. Global Users: Visual privacy*
- GOAL: To provide a simple utility for any user to protect
faces, locations and remove sensitive metadata (location, camera type)
stored in a photo or video before it is uploaded to a social network or
otherwise shared
- MILESTONE: Currently at ~25,000 downloads, and 7,000 active
users; targeting ~50,000 and 20,000 active users by SXSW (March 2012)...
beyond that, 100,000 by EOY 2012.

*B. Tech Company/Issue Advocacy*
- GOAL: To raise awareness about visual privacy and visual anonymity in the
age of easy to
use face detection and recognition software, evolving privacy norms, and
increasing use of video as primary tool for free expression
- MILESTONE: Successfully lobby a smartphone or camera manufacturer to add
our privacy features into their capture software and hardware; and/or a
social network or video-sharing site to incorporate at upload stage.
- SECONDARY MILESTONE: Build mainstream attention to facial
recognition/visual privacy and anonymity via blog/media coverage/public
debate about the app and related concepts ('visual privacy', 'visual
anonymity', 'auto blur the face')

*C. Activist/Human Rights/NGO/Journalist: Safety and Security Tool*
- GOAL: To provide a reliable media capture tool for documenting
injustices/crimes while simultaneously protecting people who are seen on
video accidentally or deliberately, or who speak out on camera
- MILESTONE: Train activists/NGOs working in specific regions to use
the app in order to reduce time/complexity from their current workflow. * Need
to do further detailing on specific regions and test areas, based on
timeline for launch of video app.*

*InformaCam (Photo for now)*

*A. Legal Advocacy (with help of partners such as International Bar
Association)*
- GOAL: To define the standards, process, tools, that establish smartphone
media content as a stronger form of evidence in national and international
human rights documentation, investigations and prosecutions. Test-case
scenarios involving aggregation of multiple smartphone sources.
- MILESTONE: Partner with legal firm/NGO, define both
communications workflow and legal workflow, and how they interoperate;
determine what standards must be met. Test-case usages with particular
partners - e.g. IBA. Engage with ICC and others on acceptable evidentiary
standards.

*B. Activist/Human Rights/NGO*
- GOAL: Become the "Martus" of visual media; a secured, safe way to record,
store and transmit media, along with verifiable metadata on content,
intent, location, other devices and more to designated repositories
- MILESTONE: Secure 2-3 back-end repositories for footage linked to
potential use scenarios (e.g. international war crimes prosecution). *Train
X number of NGOs and citizen activists to use it and deploy relevant
devices (see above);* Have the software used successfully to gather visual
media evidence that prompts investigations/is accepted as evidence

*(Note from Sam on this: not sure we want to use the 'martus' of visual
media phrase - think we're looking for a little more of a swiss army knife
that can be adapted?)*

*C. News-Gathering Users*
- GOAL: Relate tools developed for evidentiary usage to dilemmas
encountered in sourcing and verification of news content.
- MILESTONE: Share tools with others working in news-gathering field to
establish a broader base of usage and support outside of human rights
evidentiary community

Thanks,
Sam

On Fri, Dec 9, 2011 at 4:26 PM, Nathan of Guardian <
nathan at guardianproject.info> wrote:

>
> Yvette posed an always excellent questions/challenge at our scrum on
> Thursday, which was, in short "What are your goals?". I believe she
> meant that both at the level of vision and impact, and quantification of
> milestones. Bryan, Harlo and I had a good discussion on this, and I
> would like to summarize here for feedback.
>
> For now, I am presenting the ObscuraCam goals as separate from
> InformaCam, as I think they really are quite different.
>
>
> ObscuraCam
>
> A. Global Users
> - GOAL: to provide a simple utility for any user to protect faces,
> locations and removing sensitive metadata (location, camera type) stored
> in a photo or video before it is uploaded to a social network
> - MILESTONE: currently at ~25,000 downloads, and 7,000 active users;
> targeting ~50,000 and 20,000 active users by SXSW (March?)... beyond
> that, 100,000 by EOY 2012
>
> B. Campaign
> - GOAL: to raise awareness about visual privacy in the age of easy to
> use face detection and recognition software
> - MILESTONE: successfully lobby a smartphone or camera manufacturer to
> add our privacy features into their software and hardware
> - SECONDARY MILESTONE: get blog, media coverage about the app, the
> concept and get people talking about the "auto blur the face" stuff
>
> C. Activist/Human Rights/NGO/Journalist
> - GOAL: to provide a reliable media capture tool for use in sensitive
> situations for documenting injustices/crimes while protecting people in
> the scene
> - MILESTONE: train activists/NGOs working in specific regions to use the
> app in order to reduce time/complexity from their current workflow... to
> see more footage and pics with obscured subjects in them, as appropriate.
>
> InformaCam (Photo for now)
>
> A. Legal (with help of partners)
> - GOAL: to define the standards, process, tools, that establish
> smartphone media content as a valid form of evidence in human rights
> litigation
> - MILESTONE: partner with legal firm/NGO, define both communications
> workflow and legal workflow, and how they interoperate; determine what
> standards must be met
>
> B. Activist/Human Rights/NGO/Journalist
> - GOAL: become the "Martus" of visual media; a secured, safe way to
> record, store and transmit media, along with verifiable metadata on
> content, intent, location, and more
> - MILESTONE: have the software used successful to advocate for a cause
> based on reliability of visual media evidence; train X amount of NGOs to
> use it, and deploy devices
>
>
> Please add and update, and then we can move this to the wiki!
>
> Best,
>  Nathan
>



-- 
Sam Gregory
Program Director
WITNESS
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Brooklyn, NY, 11217, USA
Tel: 718 783 2000, ext 309
Fax: 718 783 1593
Email: sam at witness.org
Follow me on Twitter: @samgregory, @witnessorg, #video4change
Blog: blog.witness.org/author/sam
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http://www.witness.org/cameras-everywhere/report-2011>"
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