This archive report was first published on 7 October 2021.
Published on October 7, 2021, a report by the New York Post revealed that Citizen App, an American app-based public safety company, has hired 200 Kenyans to monitor emergency scanners in Nairobi.
The recruits, based in Nairobi, were scheduled to begin work on October 6th, 2021. Their primary task is to listen to emergency scanners and draft reports on police, emergency calls, and radio feeds.
Citizen App uses radio antennas installed in major cities to monitor 911, fire, and emergency services calls. Employees filter the audio to generate alerts, which are then sent to users in real-time. The app provides location-based safety alerts, allowing users to read updates about ongoing reports, broadcast live videos, and leave comments.
However, the decision to outsource workers from overseas has sparked concerns among Citizen App's New York-based employees. An employee expressed worry about losing their jobs, stating that those who are putting in their two weeks' notice are being told to leave immediately and being cut off from all their communications.
Another staff member criticized the new move, saying the Kenyan workers are young and inexperienced. “We are actually at a really low point for quality,” he said.
Members of staff at the New York office were reportedly being asked not to apply for other positions and had started losing benefits such as free meals. Citizen App, which has over seven million active users, was originally called Vigilante until March 2017 when it was rebranded and launched in New York. Last year, it added localized information about the spread of COVID-19.
