We're always being watched. And a new app lets you know it.
Surv combines user input and technology to create maps with detailed descriptions of the locations and types of surveillance cameras. Kaza Razat and Khalid Mills developed the app after realizing how little access to this information law enforcement agencies have.
Formerly game developers, Razat and Mills created a utility app that actually provided the information they saw in spy games and movies. Their gaming experience informed competitiveness in Surv too, with a leader-board and new features unlocked by contributing. They hope to expand slowly through a Kickstarter campaign, but they are currently focused on creating a group of slightly exclusive users.
In an interview with Mashable, Razat explains that the small, trusted user base enables the app to maintain accuracy. Using the metadata and crowdsourced information, they corroborate and ensure quality. This is also where the leader-board helps create a trustworthy base that can be built over time.
The app is not aimed at helping hide people from the law, either. Razat says, instead, he hopes the app will contain the most comprehensive database yet and law enforcement will use it.
The app is available on iOS in a closed beta version and is only based in New York City.
What do you think about the app and its benefits? Let us know in the comments below.