Humanitarian Futures for Messaging Apps - PUBLIC LAUNCH OF REPORT

Over the last few months we’ve been working with the Engine Room and Block Party on a piece of research trying to understand how people affected by armed conflicts around the world – being internally displaced people, refugees or migrants – are using messaging apps like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp or Snapchat. This research has also explored how some humanitarian organisations are currently interacting with these communication channels.

Mobile messaging is the fastest-growing digital vehicle ever. Today, more than 2.5 billion people around the world use messaging apps, a figure that is expected to grow to 3.6 billion by 2018 – that’s almost half of the world’s population.

Messaging apps have great potential to make a positive impact in situations of crisis. They can also introduce risks around security, data protection and privacy. Humanitarian organizations need to better understand both opportunities and risks in order to develop responsible, effective and safe ways to use messaging apps to meet people’s needs.

This report has been prepared with support from an advisory group that includes colleagues from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), and the World Food Programme (WFP).

Join us for the public launch event of our report "Humanitarian Futures for Messaging Apps" which will feature a panel discussion with invited speakers. Coffee and tea will be provided from 10:00.

Also, follow our event live on Twitter: #CommIsAid, @PStollICRC, @ICRC_Innovation

Agenda

Agenda