1. Crisis Mapping and the Middle
East: revolutionizing the
technology
Anahi Ayala Iacucci
Innovation Media Advisor
anahi@crisismappers.net

2. Crisis Mapping
Crisis Mapping can be described as combining the
following 3 components: information collection,
visualization and analysis. All of these elements are
within the context of a dynamic, interactive map. So
typically people use the following taxonomy:
1. Crisis Map Sourcing
2. Crisis Map Visualization
3. Crisis Map Analysis

3. : CROWDSOURCING, MAPPING, AND
CROWDFEEDING TOOL
Ushahidi, which means “testimony” in Swahili, began as a one-off
deployment for mapping reports of election violence after the
December 2007 Kenyan elections. Ushahidi is a crowdsourcing
mapping system that people to report into the platform by web
submission, SMS, Twitter or e-mail. The Ushahidi platform is right
now being used in more than 30 countries and 60 projects, from
electoral monitoring in Burundi to violence in Congo to Early
Warning system in the Rift Valley.

4. WHAT IS USHAHIDI?
Platform
Methodology

5. WHAT IS USHAHIDI?
Platform
Methodology

6. Case studies:
• Egypt: “The Bee Project”
• Sudan: “The Jan30 Crowdmap”

8. • 2,700 reports
• 211 pictures
• 323 videos
• 91.3% ✓
• 56,928 hits

9. Editorial Board
Cairo
Mansoura
Said
Assuit
Alexandria
Regional Coordinator
Verification Team
Mapping Team
Electoral Monitors
Journalists
NGOs
Crowd

10. SECURITY
• Lebanon Team
• US support (SIPA New Media Task Force
Team, VTC)
• Security protocols with different options
• Phone check in case of arrest
• Use of Skype for internal communication (PSW)
• Last minute plan to overcome Egyptian law on
SMS
• Multiple copies of the platform
• Separate Domains
• Keeping Constant contacts with the National
Security

11. HOW DO WE EVALUATE
THIS PROJECT?

12. GOAL 1: TO HELP EGYPTIAN CITIZENS AND
INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS LEARN MORE ABOUT THE
ELECTORAL PROCESS
• Publication of the
electoral laws in Egypt
• Publication of the
Egyptian constitution
with amendments
• Publication of
applicable human rights
conventions
• Publication of up to
date news on the
electoral process and
electoral campaign
• 40,000 visited the
website

13. GOAL 2: TO HIGHLIGHT AND SEEK REDRESS OF
VIOLATIONS OF ELECTORAL LAWS
• There are 1500 case of electoral
violations in front of Egyptian courts…
…but we don’t know if those violation
complains are related to the use of
this platform, or if the presence of the
platform has (or will be) in any of
those cases

14. GOAL 3: RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT CITIZEN RIGHTS
AND THE IMPORTANCE OF PARTICIPATION IN THE
ELECTORAL PROCESS
• Online Network where on going discussions were happening:
Web Site (media monitoring and electoral education)
Facebook Fan Page
Twitter Account
Blogs (two: one in English and one in Arabic)
• Media Coverage
5 Programs on BBC & BBC Arabic Channels.
1 Egyptian Channel (10 O'clock Program)
Articles and features in more than 10 different languages
More than 100 Press releases (many language) (Local &
International) (Printed & Online)

15. GOAL 4: TO PROVIDE EGYPTIAN CITIZENS WITH
ACCURATE INFORMATION AND
DOCUMENTATION OF ELECTION-RELATED
VIOLATIONS
• 2700 reports
• 44,000 visits from Egypt
• 90% of reports were verified

16. GOAL 5: TO EMPOWER LOCAL PARTNERS TO
ADVOCATE FOR CLOSER ADHERENCE TO
ELECTORAL LAWS AND FAIR PRACTICES IN THE
CAMPAIGN AND ELECTION PERIOD
U-Shahidi had an impact on
the discussion in local and
international media about
the elections.

17. Sudan: January 30th, 2011

19. Transparency and security

20. Social Media ..or dangerous media?

21. Outcome:
• The platform was closed after 2 weeks
• All of the activists in Sudan ended up closing
their FB pages and disconnecting from
Internet for some time
• Several people were
arrested, tortured, intimidated or
disappeared

22. Problems
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Not enough organization on the ground
Protesters were very much predictable to the NCP
members
No previous knowledge on the ground of digital and
social media
Very skilled tech savvy repressive regime
No previous experience in this kind of operation
from people on the ground

23. What is next?

24. People will use new
technologies no matter
what!
(and even if they do not
really know how..)

25. Technology is not bad..
people are!

26. The more people have access
to technology and the more
technology it is easy to
use, the more we need to be
there to teach, share, inform
and build local capacity.

27. What do people not necessarily
know?
1. Data Protection
2. Security
3. Do Not Harm
4. Privacy

28. Are we in front of the rise of
new rights?
•
•
•
•
•
Right to internet?
Can the internet harm?
What is privacy on Facebook and Twitter?
Can you remotely violate a national law?
Intelligence vs privacy

29. So, what to do?
1. Share lessons learned
2. Create new protocols, new standards
3. Talk about failures and risks
4. Make sure people do know what they do
(easier to say than to do)
5. Get the broader community involved
6. Let people understand that if there is no
preparation on the ground technology can only
make it worst

30. Thank you!
Anahi Ayala Iacucci
Innovation Media Advisor
anahi@crisismappers.net