Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/06/12/iphone-shortcut-to-record-enco.html
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9 Likes
This seems like a really good idea. I never understand how people are able to start recording so fast, and the last thing I want to be doing when a cop is walking up to me is fiddling with my phone.
13 Likes
This would be useful in so many situations.
6 Likes
I’ll give it a day before the cops start saying "Siri, stop recording " during all encounters with the public.
13 Likes
they already have “stop resisting!” as a mostly free pass to beat up the civilians.
9 Likes
They should plug this hole by making the “stop recording” phrase customizable.
14 Likes
You’ve been able to train Siri to recognize your voice for half a decade…
Google Assistant has Voice Match…
https://support.google.com/assistant/answer/9071681?co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid&hl=en
There may be ways to train other virtual assistants, but I haven’t used them.
I also agree the command should be customizable.
11 Likes
Note that if your interactions with the officers were to involve any falsehoods, you’ve just made a record of them…
…but you wouldn’t do that, would you?
1 Like
It needs to also disable face/fingerprint unlock. (Is that in the available API?)
4 Likes
Slightly off topic, but how can I record phone calls and Whatsapp calls on my Iphone? I have a co-worker with anger management issues.
Would be great to be able to just start recording the call with relative ease.
3 Likes
just don’t do it in a 2-party consent state like PA; won’t be allowed and would maybe get you unintended trouble once you try and use it against them.
5 Likes
Great idea - a Siri “safe word”!
7 Likes
A few possible enhancements:
1 - the user should be able to hide the app icon and name, so that if the cop forces one to unlock the phone he won’t see anything suspect.
2 - if bandwidth allows that, it should stream (a lower resolution of?) the video to a remote server, in order to prevent a cop to destroy evidence against him.
3 - The app should beep at regular intervals as a way to ask the user “is everything ok?”. If the user does not reply using one or more known gestures like shaking the phone in a certain way (no shake or one shake=alert! - three shakes = all ok now, but beep again in 5’ just in case…) the phone should alert the owner’s lawyer/family and send all recorded audio and video along with position.
4 Likes
Wait for it to disappear from the app store in 3 - 2 - 1
3 Likes
I can’t find it on my iPhone app store at all.
2 Likes
It’s not in the store, it’s a private Shortcuts script* stored in iCloud. Make sure you have the Shortcuts app installed (which is in the store). Then browse to boingboing.net on your phone and click the link in the story from there.
(Edited. Originally I called it an app.)
7 Likes
Voice recognition doesn’t work for me so I am training myself to always use the camera button from the lock screen in normal situations instead of unlocking and pulling down the controls and then clicking camera.
It is less steps, and if I disable facial unlock while at a protests I won’t waste time entering my passcode.
I have dropbox set up to auto magically download pics and videos. It takes longer than live-streaming but gets higher video quality in the cloud in the end.
2 Likes
FWIW, one of my daughters has set up her Siri to respond only when spoken to a specific foreign language that is neither English nor Spanish (the usual suspects). It’s a quick and easy solution for those who can do that.
7 Likes
(Wondering what the ethnic and/or racial makeup of U.S. iPhone users is. i could only find studies from years+ ago)
1 Like
What’s your point? Why should race or ethnicity matter?
