UnTag Wildlife: Animals Too Need Privacy

Much has been written about the negatives of social media especially with the recent Cambridge Analytica scandal when millions of users’ private data was compromised. The data was largely used to target the users and influence opinions. What happens if this information is used to track and kill wildlife?

Difficult to believe? It really happens.

Poaching is a big menace worldwide and is increasingly becoming more intensified in recent years with technology.

Poachers have become hi-tech in their methods employing malpractices such as doxxing. They scour the internet for recently uploaded pictures of the animals and decipher the encrypted location data in those pictures to track the location of the animals. This information is further passed on to their associates on the field to find and hunt the animal.

Hemant Soreng (PGP ’97), Founder – Rustik Travel

“Not many people know about this and unsuspectingly share the wildlife pictures on social media. Through UnTag we decided to create awareness about this as part of our initiative towards protecting environment while traveling.” Said Hemant Soreng, an IIMB alumnus (PGP 1997) and founder of Rustik Travel, a Sustainable Experiential Travel company.

UnTag is an app that helps delete the GPS data from pictures including that of the wildlife before sharing them online. By doing so the poachers will not be able to determine the location of the animal through these shared pictures. This is a responsible way to experience the wildlife while discouraging poaching. More at http://www.rustiktravel.com/rustik-philosophy/untag

Rustik Travel partnered with the agency The Digital Street to develop and promote the UnTag app that has recently won four Abby Awards (top advertising awards in the country) at the Goafest 2018.While this app maybe a simple solution among many others, but it’s creating the awareness of such methods that will go a long way towards wildlife conservation and our fight against poaching.

Author: Hemant Albert Soreng (PGP 1997)