What threats are out there? Do you know where they are? What can you do to stay safe? A new app aims to arm you with those answers and potentially save your life.
TerrorView is a smartphone app that aims to equip Americans with insider knowledge on potential threats. This is the very first time the public will have access to the sort of information that has previously been only available to senior government officials, the company says. TerrorView states it does this without compromising national security.
Threat awareness
Before creating the TerrorView app, Joshua Katz served as a CIA covert intelligence officer and as a senior advisor to chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. The TerrorView founder is also a former U.S. Army Ranger.
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“Whether you're a business traveler or a parent who wants to know about disease outbreaks or terrorist threats near your child's school, this app provides trustworthy and potentially life-saving information to people who don't have the time or the know-how to find it themselves, TerrorView can literally make the difference between life and death," he explained, in a press release.
After last month’s horrific Paris terror attack, the U.S. State Department issued a Worldwide Travel Alert warning Americans about the increased terrorist threats and the possible risks of travelling. It also recommended that “U.S. citizens should monitor media and local information sources and factor updated information into personal travel plans and activities.”
The app does precisely this sort of monitoring, giving users insider knowledge on threats that may lurk nearby.
How does it work?
Made by ConteGoView, the system uses proprietary tech combined with intelligence experts who gather and analyze data from more than 100,000 sources. The company describes the process as “scanning information and chatter found in thousands of public places.”
Once downloaded onto a phone, the app provides information, analysis and recommendations about threats that could be down your street or halfway across the world.
A map overview shows the user’s location and potential threats, both locally and globally. The intel section shows the very latest data on terrorist, biological and cyber threats.
Specialist guides are available for users to get advice on how best to prepare and deal with threats. Expert analysis is also available on major national security issues.
Where can you find it?
TerrorView is available on the iOS App Store and Google Play. A limited version can be downloaded for free on the App Store and Google Play. For $4.99, users can gain full access for a year.
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