The Knight News Challenge: Benetech Joins Friends and Partners in Open Call to Make the Internet Better

The Knight News Challenge is looking for ways to make the Internet open, equitable, and free, so Benetech’s Human Rights Program has submitted an idea for a secureApp Generator to benefit journalists, citizen reporters, activists, and other organizations or individuals who need reliable channels for secure mobile data collection and information exchange over the Internet.

From election monitoring in post-conflict countries to eyewitness testimonies in countries with state-sanctioned violence, there are many examples of data collection efforts that could benefit from simpler and more scalable access to secure mobile data collection and backup.

Using Benetech’s open source, secure data collection tool Martus as the foundation, the secureApp Generator will be customized for each organization. It develops and supports a public system for the creation of secure, multilingual, and open source data collection apps that will improve information management and reduce the risk of exposure for reporters, researchers, and activists.

By lowering the barrier to strong, open source encryption, this app will democratize technology and empower citizens. This, in turn, will positively impact the protection of our rights and the strengthening of Internet Freedom, which is crucial not only for innovation but also for social justice.

Check out and support the full concept on The Knight News Challenge website.