Mobile Personal Safety

There has been a lot of attention lately paid to mobile personal safety. Both Pixel and Samsung phones have several tools built-in that can help protect you in the case of an emergency.

While apps promoting behaviour change are subject to rigorous evidence-based testing, there is little or no regulation of the many apps that claim to enhance personal safety. This has worrying implications, particularly when vulnerable individuals rely on untested technology in potentially dangerous situations.

1. GPS Tracking

GPS tracking allows loved ones and emergency contacts to monitor your location and get help if needed. This is an important feature for lone workers who work away from home or for those with health issues such as dementia or Alzheimer’s. There are personal safety apps that include GPS tracking and a timer which will notify your contacts if you haven’t checked-in after working, socialising or travelling alone, providing your exact GPS location to help them find you. StaySafe is a great example and is especially notable for its theft detection which can remotely lock the phone, wipe the SD card or switch off the app to stop it being used by someone else.

Other personal safety devices with GPS tracking include a panic button which can be activated to send an alert with your location to your emergency contact, particularly useful for lone travellers or those who live or travel alone. Some also combine this with inactivity monitoring to detect if you haven’t moved for a certain period of time (e.g. after a fall or heart attack) and will alert your emergency contacts.

2. Calls to the Police

Whether you're on your morning jog, taking a walk to the grocery store or visiting an elderly parent's home, there's no question that it can be scary to feel unsafe. Thankfully, many smartphones have built-in personal safety features that can help you make or receive calls without anyone knowing who you are or where you are.

Apps marketed as personal safety tools can provide a range of functions including communication, location tracking, alarm services and evidence recording. However, their use is largely unregulated and their reliability is often uncertain. This has implications for individual safety because it may lead to individuals placing a high degree of reliance on such apps.

lone worker device Using a phone to call for help can also draw attention from the user, which could potentially escalate a threatening situation. This is why a dedicated personal safety device is usually much easier to operate, for example React Mobile allows users to send an audible, silent or duress alert that automatically calls the police or other first responders (including emergency medical service, American Medical Response and fire departments) with no need to speak with someone.





3. Emergency Contacts

Another key component of personal safety is having emergency contacts to alert in a time of need. Some apps allow you to add a list of people who can see your location and other information without unlocking your phone. This can be helpful in case of an accident or for people with conditions like epilepsy and diabetes, which can make it difficult to communicate during a crisis.

Some apps also offer the option of using your camera to record a video that can be used to help identify you and get you help faster. One such app, called Flare, has a partnership with first responders, so that when you hold down the button on the device it automatically calls 911 and shares your real-time location info.

Other apps, such as the new Google Personal Safety app available on Pixel phones, can use your camera to record video and sound a loud intermittent "shrill whistle" that might scare off an attacker or attract attention. However, the app's features are limited to Pixel devices and only work in certain languages and regions.

4. Alerts

Whether you're out for a date, at a company party or feeling that nagging gut instinct while on a run, many safety apps allow you to send your location to friends and family. The app bSafe, for example, has a live map feature, voice activation tools and automatic recordings to give you that extra security if you need it.

Other apps, like the Pixel personal safety, let you set up an SOS alert by pressing and holding the power button five times. This automatically calls emergency services and shares your location — or you can cancel it by sliding the on-screen switch quickly.

Another feature available in some safety apps is the ability to receive emergency alerts through Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA). WEA is a system authorized by federal, state and local authorities to distribute public safety alerts over mobile networks to technologically compatible phones. These alerts can include information about weather or missing children. In the US, WEA is pushed out by national and local emergency management agencies through FEMA's Integrated Public Alert and Warning Systems.

5. Recordings

The latest version of the Android 12 update for Pixel phones includes a new feature called emergency SOS that lets users press the power button 5 times to quickly call emergency services and share their location with emergency contacts as well as automatically record a video. The recording can last up to 45 minutes and users can continue using their phone while the video is being recorded. Upon activation, the feature will also backup the recording to Google Account and the Personal Safety app and send a link of what was captured to their preset emergency contacts if they want to do so.

Although individuals report finding apps marketed as improving their personal safety useful, scientific evidence does not back up claims that these tools can protect them from interpersonal violence. Without regulation or accreditation of apps to ensure quality assurance and reliability, vulnerable individuals may place a reliance on these tools in potentially dangerous situations. In addition, it is important to understand the law around recording in public settings to avoid unintentional harm.