Apps: Know Your Rights & Protect Your Rights

Reporters Committee FirstAid app

The Reporters Committee FirstAid app was designed to help journalists who need quick answers to legal issues that arise while covering the news. It is meant as a quick solution during an urgent situation, such as when a judge or other official is keeping you from a hearing or a meeting, or a police officer is threatening you with arrest.

FirstAid also provides quick access to their hotline for any media law issues, either by phone or email. 

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The Reporters Committee and this app are available for journalists of all varieties, whether you work for a national news organization or a neighborhood news blog. They never charge for our assistance. (more)

Android app allows citizens to record and store video and audio of police encounters, includes guide to citizens’ rights  

Citizens can hold police accountable in the palms of their hands with “Police Tape,” a smartphone application from the ACLU of New Jersey that allows people to securely and discreetly record and store interactions with police, as well as provide legal information about citizens’ rights when interacting with the police.




The Android “Police Tape” app records video and audio discreetly, disappearing from the screen once the recording begins to prevent any attempt by police to squelch the recording. In addition to keeping a copy on the phone itself, the user can choose to send it to the ACLU-NJ for backup storage and analysis of possible civil liberties violations.

A version awaiting approval from Apple will be available later this summer in the App Store for iOs to audio record encounters with police. (more)