Tech

Rats! Wanna snitch? There’s an app for that.

Elizabeth Dorton Contributor
Font Size:

A new app will allow you to help report illegally parked cars and get a cut of the fine as a reward.

The app, fittingly called SpotSquad, allows those who want to squeal to assist parking enforcement in their dirty work, and letting the force effectively “crowdsource” their labor, Fox reports.

The site accompanies simple graphics with a description of the user’s mission and “marching orders” listed as “Pick Infraction,” “Enter Plate and Pic,” and “Get Rewarded!”

Out of some sort of sick and perverted interest in promoting schadenfreude, the app actually makes snitching into a sort of game, going so far as to create levels. Depending on how many incidents a “player” reports, they’ll receive higher pay and make “rank.”

The ranks listed on the site range from private to general, and in the descriptions of each, potential users are called “soldier” and goaded to “make the world a better place” with their “public service” by “cleaning up the streets.”

So far, the app will be used in private lots, but Chris Johnson, the Winnipeg, Canada company’s co-founder, would like to see the app used on public streets as well.

Though only in Canada now, Johnson recognizes the opportunity to bring SpotSquad to the United States.

Once deciding  to capitalize on ratting, all you really have to do is photograph the offending vehicle.

The photograph will be tagged by GPS while optical character recognition reads the license plate number. After that, all you need to do is cite the infraction.

The report is then sent in automatically, so you better not start feeling guilty and try to take it back. Authorities have already been notified.

The report is either sent to the operator of that lot or to local authorities, if the transgression is committed on public property.

In his interview with Fox, Johnson stressed the importance of the “instant send-in.” The photos cannot be submitted as evidence in court (yet).

However, that really shouldn’t make anyone feel better, since he also stated that eventually, the app could be used to issue citations directly.

The app company would receive a portion of the fines paid, and would then split the costs with their informants.

Sneaky bastards.

Follow Elizabeth on Twitter

Tags : canada
Elizabeth Dorton