Patriot App has been criticised for encouraging neighbours to report each other
It claims to be a handy way to make you a ‘better citizen’.
But a new app for the iPhone has been condemned by critics who claim it is turning mobile users into a network of government spies.
The PatriotApp links your phone to American security and law enforcement agencies via the Internet and allows you to report anything you want at the touch of a button.
By simply pressing the relevant icon, users can sound the alarm for terrorism, ‘suspicious activity’, a health pandemic or an environmental safety issue.
The $0.99 app, named after the controversial Patriot Act brought in by the U.S. government after 9/11, is designed to ‘encourage active citizen participation in the War on Terror and in protecting their families and surrounding communities’, its makers Citizen Concepts claim.
But critics say it is like putting Big Brother in the palm of your hand and could easily be open to abuse by those with questionable agendas.
The app works by making a direct link between your phone and law enforcement agencies such as the FBI and the Environmental Protection Agency.
The software also links up to your Facebook and Twitter page meaning you can post alerts on there if needed.
Read moreBig Brother iPhone Patriot App Turns Users Into Government Spies