A woman walking down the street using her smartphone (illustration).

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Qui-Vive app

  • Qui-Vive is a mobile application using the phone's microphone.

  • Once activated, it continuously records the sound environment (words, noises, etc.).

  • Its founder hopes that it will facilitate the prosecution of the attackers.

Victims of harassment, racist insults or sexist outrages know it well: for lack of evidence incriminating the aggressor, legal action is often perceived as an uncertain and, also, painful ordeal.

“The vast majority of victims do not file a complaint because they do not have tangible proof and are afraid that they will not be taken seriously.

But the trivialization of violence, the feeling of impunity, encourage recidivism, ”says Jean-Philippe Tible, entrepreneur from Côtes d'Armor who has worked for almost 20 years in the sale of security equipment.

Aged 56, he left his activity to devote himself to the launch of Qui-Vive, a mobile application, available since January, making it possible to constitute incontestable sound proof in the event of verbal aggression.

It works as follows: once the application is activated, the telephone microphone continuously records, in loops of 20 minutes maximum, the external environment (words, noises, etc.).

The sequence is erased and is renewed automatically, on the principle of a buffer memory.

The owner will then live with it and maybe even forget about it.

But, in the event of an attack, he will only have to ask the application to save the recording to obtain an audio file of the last 20 minutes.

This can then be presented to the police.

It also registers relay antennas and wifi terminals

“We tested the app in many situations.

The recording is quite audible even if the phone is in a pocket or in a bag, assures Jean-Philippe Tible.

It can be of service to many people: a woman harassed in public transport, a man victim of discriminatory remarks, a young racketeer when leaving school… ”.

Qui-Vive, developed in collaboration with lawyers, can be configured to deactivate at certain times or in certain “places of trust”.

Its free version, to download, is limited to 10 minutes of recording.

Its paid version (3 euros per month) guarantees 20 minutes of audio and also memorizes the position of wifi terminals and relay antennas and that of the nearest Bluetooth devices.

The data is secure and stored "only in the phone".

A deterrent effect on aggressors?

Jean-Philippe Tible is aimed at the general public but also at companies whose trades are more exposed to the risk of insults or harassment (salespeople, home workers, etc.).

If he prefers not to reveal a download target, the Breton entrepreneur dreams of a virtuous effect on society.

“If one or two million people used the app, thugs or stalkers might worry about being registered and would be less likely to take action.

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As for the risk of embezzlement, to trap an employee or a relative who has had an unfortunate word, for example, Jean-Philippe Tible recognizes that he cannot “obviously control what users will do with it”.

“When they download the app, they are asked to commit to benevolent use,” he insists.

Qui-Vive was designed for victims and witnesses.

It is extremely important to me.

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  • High Tech

  • Sexism

  • Mobile app

  • Sexual harassment

  • Bullying

  • Society