The App was pilloried by a paranoid community of deluded gun rights activists in July 2013; deluded because the gun owning community in the United States shoots itself in the foot - and endangers all of our 2nd amendment rights - when it comes out against reasonable solutions to the gun violence epidemic. This includes Apps that might allow it to better allow gun owners regulate themselves, foment better safety practices, and prevent unnecessary gun deaths. But in short, the community instead decided that this App was a threat and spammed it up with useless info that effectively disabled it for sincere users. How many lives are being lost due to the congressional equivalent of this obstruction? Such as when the U.S. Senate rejected reasonable and constitutional universal background checks in April of 2013?My problem with this app is that it would allow people to geo-locate dangerous gun owners anonymously. That's just irresponsible. But I'd support and contribute to an app that required the geo-locator to identify himself.
We certainly have a First Amendment, too.
gun nuts, of course, should be in quotes
ReplyDeleteall gun hysteria aside, i'd object to any app that allows people to identify (insert label)unsafe gun owners, pedophiles, satan worshipers, dog abusers, bloggers etc, anonymously
drones, tracking and and data mining/ centers.
ReplyDeletewelcome to the brave new world.
My OCD compels me to point out it should read, Tracker, in your title. Not, "Tacker."
ReplyDeleteThe app invited users to mark the homes and businesses of “suspected unsafe gun owners … to help others in the area learn about their geography of risk from gun accidents or violence.”
ReplyDeleteBrett Stalbaum, the developer of the app had obviously hoped to tag all gun owners as, "Nuts," or unsafe owners. With vast majority of us are extremely safe, but that wouldn't stop an anti-gun nut from placing our name and address on the tracker list.
8:33, Thanks
ReplyDelete"gun nuts, of course, should be in quotes"
ReplyDeleteI disagree. I like the idea of an app that tracks the location of gun nuts, which could include gun owners who make death threats or who write about putting hollow point bullets thru another person's skull. I did not like the anonymity and unwillingness to verify.
Bernie, your problem with this app, "is that it would allow people to geo-locate dangerous gun owners anonymously."
ReplyDeleteThe problem with the app is that it would allow people to geo-locate ALL gun owners anonymously. Many have a gun for home protection and aren't the type who wear it, or carry it to public functions in order to broadcast our ownership.
I agree with you. In addition to being anonymous, there is no verification. If an allegation that someone is unsafe could be verified via objective criterion, I think this App could actually be useful.
ReplyDeleteSuch an app should make Google and Apple rethink their app development policies. Apps that "tag" people as belonging to a certain group should not be allowed - especially if done anonymously. Possibly, the only exception to an identifying app would be those who have been convicted of a felony, with verification of the conviction required. Otherwise, there would be apps that would have people tagged as, "suspected" Muslims, Jews, Christians, Buddhists, Devil Worshipers, Bigots, Welfare Recipients, Illegal Aliens, Drug Dealers, Pedophiles, Communists, Anti-Americans, etc.
ReplyDeleteOur government is already spying on us. Allowing people to add their "suspicions" to a list for public scrutiny is a recipe for disaster. Imagine McCarthy having access to an app during the "Red Menace" years, or Nixon during the Anti-war movement. [I hate dating myself.]
There are already ways to track pedophiles and sex offenders, thanks to Megan's law.
ReplyDeleteI see your point, though. It could be used to hurt innocent people or to hurt people whose beliefs a=differ from the mainstream.
There probably should be a blogger geo-locator.
What anyone failed to mention is that this app would give criminals a heads up on where to acquire guns.
ReplyDeleteThis idea is ridiculous, counterproductive, and open to abuse on many levels. Bernie, I'm surprised you.
ReplyDeleteI'm forced to agree it is subject to abuse.
ReplyDeleteAny tool that helps criminals locate weapons to steal is just common sense. What could possibly go wrong? A few more dead kids so Progressives can tar their enemies is a small price to pay for a better world. Get the app back up and running and let's MoveOn. MoveOn types are easily identified by the stench and the hand out. No app needed.
ReplyDelete