riot-app

2019

riot-app is a speculative design project meant to imagine how an app built specifically for civil disobedience would look and behave. riot-app took shape during the Catalonian independence riots and the Hong Kong anti-extradition bill protests. The aim was to design an app that was both an interactive map and a calendar, essentially a multi-purpose tool that would let anarchists "advertise" political events, while not allowing bad actors such as fascist or police infiltrators to access sensitive data.

The app has three main modes: Basic Mode, Trusted Mode, and Active Mode. Trusted Mode can only be accessed by people who have been vouched for, and Active Mode is a special mode that can only be accessed from Trusted Mode. This mode determines the event the user is participating in based on location and time, and then displays relevant information, such as the route, if available, and pings from other users. Active mode also enables the Incognito switch, which temporarily disables the user’s account, generally to prevent the police having access to sensitive information in case of an arrest. Additionally, an emergency button instantly triggers an emergency ping at the user’s location.