Ethical Hacking News
New York City is teaming up with the crime-tracking app Citizen to send real-time public safety alerts based on users' specific locations. The city will also grant access to its portal to review footage shared by citizens. This new partnership aims to enhance public safety and foster cooperation between the city's agencies and citizens, utilizing cutting-edge technology to create a safer environment for all residents.
New York City has partnered with Citizen to utilize its features for public safety alerts and community-shared footage. The partnership will provide real-time notifications based on users' specific locations, tailored to their neighborhood, ZIP code, or borough. Axon's Fusus platform will serve as the "real-time crime center" and integrate with Citizen, enabling police agencies to access video footage from security cameras. Citizen's verified partner program facilitates collaboration between cities and law enforcement agencies, addressing concerns about community impact. The new partnership will grant public safety agencies access to a portal to review footage shared by citizens on Citizen, enhancing public safety and fostering cooperation.
New York City has announced a new partnership with the crime-tracking app Citizen, aiming to utilize its features for public safety alerts and access to community-shared footage. This collaboration builds upon an existing relationship between the city's agencies and Citizen, expanding their capabilities to include real-time notifications based on users' specific locations.
The city's mayor, Eric Adams, revealed that New York City would now send users alerts about public safety issues, weather emergencies, and major incidents, tailored to a user's neighborhood, ZIP code, or borough. This system will rely on the verified partner program for cities like New York, which is tied to Axon's Fusus platform.
Axon's Fusus platform, acquired last year, serves as the "real-time crime center." It has recently partnered with Ring, allowing law enforcement to request access to video footage from owners' security cameras in specific areas during certain times. This partnership also integrates Citizen, enabling police agencies to send alerts and retrieve public videos from users.
Citizen's verified partner program is designed to facilitate collaboration between cities and law enforcement agencies. While the app originally faced criticism for its potential impact on communities, it has since rebranded under the name "Citizen" and addressed concerns by allowing users to opt-out of sharing their videos directly with authorities.
The new partnership will grant public safety agencies access to a portal to review footage shared by citizens on Citizen. This platform enables users to report potential safety incidents, share videos, and broadcast live footage within the app. Additionally, it offers an instant alert system that sends notifications to nearby mobile devices "within seconds" of a 911 call or user reports.
Citizen's CEO, Andrew Frame, has faced criticism in the past for promoting vigilantism through the app. In 2021, he came under fire after encouraging users to hunt down the wrong person suspected of starting a California wildfire. Since then, the company has sought to rebrand and focus on constructive community engagement.
The new partnership between New York City and Citizen is expected to enhance public safety and foster cooperation between the city's agencies and citizens. As technology advances and becomes more accessible, it is crucial for cities to establish effective communication channels with their communities, ensuring that everyone can contribute to creating a safer environment.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/New-York-City-to-Leverage-Citizen-App-for-Public-Safety-Alerts-ehn.shtml
https://www.theverge.com/news/711146/citizen-app-nyc-verified-partners-alerts-surveillance
Published: Mon Jul 21 21:27:32 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
