Feel Like Being A Neighborhood Snitch? There's An App For That!

by Mike Masnick | Techdirt
Dec. 21, 2010

Remember how Homeland Security was working with Walmart to post creepy video messages urging you to spy on your neighbors? Well, the folks at Homeland Security ought to be thrilled with the new "Patriot App" -- which is a special (not free) iPhone app to help you spy on your neighbors. It's not put out by the government, however. Instead, it's just some company that thinks people are crazy enough to pay $0.99 to make it easier for you to "report suspicious behavior." Surprisingly, the app does also have a "whistleblower" section, where you can report government waste, or discuss whistleblowing with others -- just be careful not to pull a Wikileaks with it, or someone might report you to the authorities with the app as well. Still, while some folks are up in arms about this, it really seems like a silly app that I doubt too many people would actually pay for. Of course, with a name like "Patriot App," perhaps the US government could claim a likelihood of confusion that it actually had something to do with it... (and just to cut it off before it shows up in the comments: that last sentence is a joke).