CROWDVOICE

About

CrowdVoice.org is an open source service that tracks voices of protest by curating and contextualizing valuable data, such as eyewitness videos, photos, and reports as a means to facilitate awareness regarding current social justice movements worldwide.

Despite what is happening today around the world, little hard-research exists for journalists and academics in terms of archives of diverse media reports. CrowdVoice addresses this by curating a wide range of content pulled from across the web on a dedicated page. Content is initially housed in a moderation queue, where it awaits crowdsourced verification.

As a second step, the platform visually communicates social and political issues through hard facts, statistics, interactive infographics, and timelines, which are organized by tags, specific topics, and relevant citations. These engaging educational resources direct users to an archive of relevant footage and reports. Infographics and interactive timelines are an imperative step in providing a frame of reference to the hundreds of under-reported stories pouring in from across the world, and are crucial to putting together nuanced, comprehensive reports reflecting both hard facts and the human face of the issues.

Funding

After starting out as an experimental, self-funded initiative, CrowdVoice currently draws support from the Omidyar Network and the Shuttleworth Foundation.

What we do

Amplify

CrowdVoice works to highlight, chronicle, and share the world’s most-deserving, yet under-reported stories as told by citizen journalists tracking movements worldwide.

Curate

The platform archives and organizes a collection of crowdsourced videos, photos, and reports, complemented by mainstream media reports.

Educate

Using interactive infographics, CrowdVoice works to break-down, source, and contextualize the world’s global movements in the most digestible way possible.

Engage

Social media integration connects users, activists, and organizations and initiates a dialogue about various issues.

How it Works

Getting Started

1 Click on “Sign-Up” to create your account
Crowdvoice - Click on “Sign-Up” to create your account image
2 Enter a valid email address and choose your password
Crowdvoice - Enter a valid email address and choose your password image
3 You should receive an email confirming your sign-up
Crowdvoice - You should receive an email confirming your sign-up image
4 Log-in with your username and password and you’re ready to go!
Crowdvoice - Log-in with your username and password and you’re ready to go! image

Add your voice

1 Log-in to CrowdVoice using your email and password.
Crowdvoice - Log-in to CrowdVoice using your email and password. image
2 Click “Add a Voice” to create a new topic.
Crowdvoice - Click “Add a Voice” to create a new topic. image
3 Fill out the basic voice information, including Title of the section, Description of the issue, and Location(s) to which it is relevant
Crowdvoice - Fill out the basic voice information, including Title of the section, Description of the issue, and Location(s) to which it is relevant image
4 Fill out the advanced data-curation fields, including with relevant Twitter hashtags and RSS feeds from which content will be pulled.
Crowdvoice - Fill out the advanced data-curation fields, including with relevant <strong>Twitter hashtags</strong> and <strong>RSS</strong> feeds from which content will be pulled. image
5 Select a background image and upload it from your computer using the “Background” upload function. You can also select a theme color for your section from the drop down menu on the right-hand side.
Crowdvoice - Select a background image and upload it from your computer using the “Background” upload function. You can also select a theme color for your section from the drop down menu on the right-hand side. image
6 Hit save to create the topic and queue for approval. Once approved, you can begin posting and moderating links, photos, and videos.
Crowdvoice - Hit save to create the topic and queue for approval. Once approved, you can begin posting and moderating links, photos, and videos. image

Add to moderate a voice

1 To moderate posts for an existing voice, click the “Moderate” tab on the voice page. Approve a post by clicking the thumbs-up button. Disapprove a post by clicking the thumbs-down button. Flag a post as spam by clicking the flag icon.
Crowdvoice - To moderate posts for an existing voice, click the “Moderate” tab on the voice page. Approve a post by clicking the thumbs-up button. Disapprove a post by clicking the thumbs-down button. Flag a post as spam by clicking the flag icon. image
2 To add content to an existing voice, paste the URL of a picture, video, or link into the bar at the top of the voice. For videos, simply hit post. For pictures, you can add a title and caption. You can also upload pictures directly from your computer by select “Upload Picture” in the URL bar. For links, select from various thumbnails by scrolling through those available using the arrows.
Crowdvoice - To add content to an existing voice, paste the URL of a picture, video, or link into the bar at the top of the voice. For videos, simply hit post. For pictures, you can add a title and caption. You can also upload pictures directly from your computer by select “Upload Picture” in the URL bar. For links, select from various thumbnails by scrolling through those available using the arrows. image

Press

  • CrowdVoice is worthy of the attention: a site that aggregates images, videos and links from witnesses of oppression around the world: in the Middle East, but also as far afield as Uganda, North Korea, Kyrgyzstan and Oakland.
    TechCrunch
  • CrowdVoice spotlights all content on the web related to campaigns and protests. If one online activist comes across a spare or one-sided post, he can easily supplement information. Furthermore, campaign participants can add anecdotes and first-hand experiences so that others can check in from afar.
    Mashable
  • ...a better resource for journalists wanting to report on social movements, even ones in countries where they don't speak the appropriate language.
    Wired
  • It is a good resource for photos and videos of protests as well as links to news stories and reports
    The Guardian
  • This is the purpose for which social media was truly born.
    Bill Liao, co-founder of Xing.com
  • ...a grassroots network whose mission is to amplify diverse and progressive voices advocating change through digital media, a place where you can see protests taking place in real time. We find it a very useful tool. Beyond learning about what’s happening in the world, this is a place to realize there is discontent in this world and we must fight for honest change.
    Ninja Marketing
  • ...imagine a website dedicated to "cure" the social protests in different parts of the world, where we can access photos, videos and information? Crowdvoice uses all network resources from different sources and covers these movements to present them in a single platform... We needed a place like this...[and] as a resource for journalists and researchers.
    Wiki Noticia
  • A great source for an insightful compilation of citizen perspectives, drawing from traditional news sources, blogs, image galleries, and video clips from protest participants, intellectuals and experts in the field.
    Peace & Conflict Monitor
  • Awesome site. The best part? You can subscribe to/follow any article or voice that piques your interest, which means one less excuse that I have to fall behind in my current events. This is a great resource to release unknown stories and empower them to make the change
    Diana Hsu, Idealist.org
  • Ideal for activist organizations, CrowdVoice allows organizers to create “Voices” of protest where users can monitor and contribute links, photos, and videos of protests worldwide. It’s a creative, visual way to tell your organization’s stories of protest to your online communities.
    Nonprofit Orgs
  • A one of a kind world news site... CrowdVoice is a different kind of media; on it you will find great infographics [and] all the Crowdsourcing material that will show you people’s opinions from that conflict, usually served with some chilling testimony and videos of the events. See the whole picture of subjects you thought you have a strong opinion about. Don’t be surprised if it will turn 180 degrees…
    All My Faves
  • Consider Crowdvoice for updates on issues that matter to you.
    Ashoka Peace
  • This is fantastic!
    Farhad Mohit, Founder & CEO, Gripe App
  • CrowdVoice allows readers to read, and contribute to, a user-generated, dynamic aggregation of information on a specific topic. Features include a blog widget to funnel contributions to a user's site and the ability to subscribe
    ReadWriteWeb
  • Around the world people are fighting for their rights, protesting their oppressive governments, and uniting to take a stand. It’s inspirational to see stories like these and they give hope to people all over the planet. Now you can find them all in one place.
    Visual News
  • Internet-based technology and tools are becoming vital elements in the movement towards open government. But with so much information available, and so many different social media platforms, it can be hard to find relevant, reliable information... CrowdVoice.org— run by Mideast Youth — was set up to overcome this obstacle.
    SciDev

What people are tweeting

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  • @RocketDogCom - RocketDog
    A new social media site called #Crowdvoice curates protests in frighteningly real-time
  • @charleslaw - Charles Law
    @CrowdVoice is going to be an important site
  • @TimurBekir - Timur Bekir
    Great crowdsourcing site - covering political struggle around the world: http://crowdvoice.org/assault-on-gaza
  • @kiwanja - Ken Banks
    Really impressed with the @CrowdVoice platform demo
  • @xoshink - X
    MyCrowdVoice is the installation of the amazing tool @CrowdVoice, which helps movements grow.
  • @Global132 - 132Global
    CrowdVoice has helped document some of the biggest social movements of 2012
  • @MelissaWall - Melissa Wall
    Innovative visuals by @CrowdVoice reporting on new UN estimate of 60,000 killed in #Syria's uprising
  • @blansharm - Shushan Harutyunyan
    A wow project
  • @draddee - Draddee
    A very useful site to tracking protests in #Algeria
  • @ict4peace - ICT4Peace Foundation
    No better source of info on #bahrain situation than @crowdvoice
  • @MaureenAlley - Maureen Alley
    Could be a great tool for journalists: Crowdvoice provides realtime curation of protest social media http://flpbd.it/p5Hnl #journalism
  • @helenturvey - Helen Turvey (King)
    Workers' Strike in South Africa infographic by @CrowdVoice for more eye opening data see http://www.crowdvoice.org
  • @Info_Activismo - Info-Activismo
    Plataforma para registrar, visualizar y documentar "revoluciones" http://www.crowdvoice.org @CrowdVoice
  • @naturalllyi - Question Authority
    Have a protest? Need fair coverage? Want to figure out what they are protesting? Check out this website https://crowdvoice.org/
  • @joellehatem - Joelle Hatem
    #DiscoveryOfTheDay > My CrowdVoice Installation by @crowdvoice to aggregate and share information visually http://mycrowdvoice.org #DataViz
  • @cibervoluntario - Cibervoluntarios
    Gran plataforma de empoderamiento ciudadano: @CrowdVoice, seguimiento de voces de protesta en todo el mundo
  • @cahyawardhani - Cahyawardhani
    okay http://crowdvoice.org is extremely cool
  • @Liberationtech - Liberationtech
    @MideastYouth's @Crowdvoice Enables Internet Users to Find Relevant Info on World's Social Justice Movements http://womennewsnetwork.net/2013/01/10/human-rights-esraa-al-shafei-crowdvoice/
  • @jsnophoto - Jordan Snobelen
    Wow, a site tracking protests and revolutions from all around the world via crowd sourcing info http://crowdvoice.org/ Really worth a look
  • @nataliebridgema - AccountabilityCounse
    Looking for frontline #humanrights news? Check out http://crowdvoice.org/ http://fb.me/26rWZNQX2
  • @elimeur - Elisa M
    @CrowdVoice un mégaphone taille mondiale au service de toutes formes de protestation, partout dans le monde. http://www.crowdvoice.org/
  • @rima_misurata - Rima
    CrowdVoice is a handy little tool for keeping track of protests
  • @logangraham - Logan Graham
    The most comprehensive protest/demonstration tracker. http://crowdvoice.org/
  • @nwoje - Nicolò Wojewoda
    Tools like @CrowdVoice help movements grow. And now, you can create your own installation. http://mycrowdvoice.org/ #curate #organize #amplify
  • @MCSaatchiMobile - M&C Saatchi Mobile
    @CrowdVoice - new platform seeking to change our understanding of major, people-led events with a unique perspective - http://bit.ly/WQC4iX
  • @nolicwee - Colin wee
    #crowdvoice - Tracking #news and happenings around the #middle-east in a new way! #crowdsource
  • @EwanGaffney - Ewan Gaffney
    CrowdVoice is a great new social site to map uprisings around the world http://buff.ly/XBRCHb
  • @Netzblockierer - Netzblockierer
    CrowdVoice is an invaluable resource for tracking human rights protests around the globe. Check it out... http://tmblr.co/ZpJKFvWTdWcq
  • @JavierIRB - Javier Rodriguez
    Impresionante. Todas las protestas que suceden cada día en cualquier lugar del mundo (incluido España), en http://crowdvoice.org
  • @alexeisenberg - Alex Eisenberg
    An excellent site which tracks the voices of protest - alarmed and saddened to see these sorts of figures. http://www.crowdvoice.org/protests-in-syria
  • @BotalWaali - Reena {madjarlady}
    A website that uses crowdsourcing to track protests happening all over the world. Brilliant coverage.
  • @eadvocate - E-Advocate Network
    @CrowdVoice You created an incredible project. *Applause* Thank you so much for your work.
  • @WITNESSchris - chris michael
    I'm so intrigued by http://www.crowdvoice.org - an interesting #video4change project w/ great potential by @mideastyouth @crowdvoice
  • @citizentube - citizentube
    Great new platform to track online protests on @crowdvoice: http://bit.ly/d7i1ZW