| Laughable Yo App Saving Lives? |
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By: Jessica Cherok |
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 It’s no secret that technology is helping to save lives, especially in times of disaster and war. In fact, the app Yo has teamed up with Red Alert, the Israeli missile alert system, to help warn citizens of incoming missiles and mortars.
Yo, which was developed by an Israeli living in San Francisco, gives real-time information on attacks from Palestinian militants. This is a big — and welcomed — departure from the compromising of user privacy recently provided by Yo.
Red Alert uses Yo to send push notifications to people who are in danger during an attack. Red Alert has its own app, but Yo is broadening the reach. Still, warn officials, Yo isn’t perfect in passing along information. For example, it’s not terribly specific to the user’s location.
Yo’s partnering with Red Alert may be in an attempt to clean up their image and be taken more seriously. The app has been accused of “accelerating the decline of humanity,” and “one of the dumbest ideas ever.”
Still, it may be inspiring more sophisticated alert systems for future conflicts. While it’s still a long way from proving itself, Yo can at least say it’s raising awareness around the increasing tensions between Israel and Palestine.
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Jessica Cherok is an advocate for online privacy, campaigning for ethical data practices and the protection of personal privacy.
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