Encrypted field evidence capture for human rights documentation
East African activists face arbitrary detention, brutal torture and sexual assault by Tanzanian police when conducting cross-border human rights work.
EchoVault is a mobile app that lets activists instantly record police encounters with military-grade encryption. Files are automatically uploaded to a zero-knowledge vault, timestamped on blockchain, and can be selectively shared with trusted lawyers or international bodies using ephemeral links that self-destruct after viewing.
East African human rights activists and independent journalists traveling for advocacy
End-to-end encryption where even the company cannot access content, combined with one-tap 'sexual assault evidence' templates and automatic chain-of-custody logging specifically designed for cases of torture and sexual violence by state actors.
empowering
Instantly starts encrypted video/audio recording with misleading UI if device is seized
Client-side encrypted storage with user-held keys
Proves evidence existed at specific time without revealing content
Share evidence with lawyers that expires after single view or 48 hours
Auto-generates structured reports from recordings with metadata
Special code that remotely wipes vault and sends final beacon
Pre-made checklists for documenting sexual violence and torture
Records and encrypts locally until connection returns
One-click anonymous submission to ICC, HRW, Amnesty verification teams
| Column | Type | Nullable |
|---|---|---|
| id | uuid | No |
| public_key | text | No |
| created_at | timestamp | No |
| last_wiped | timestamp | Yes |
| Column | Type | Nullable |
|---|---|---|
| id | uuid | No |
| user_id | uuid | No |
| encrypted_url | text | No |
| content_hash | text | No |
| timestamped_tx | text | Yes |
| incident_type | text | Yes |
| created_at | timestamp | No |
Relationships:
| Column | Type | Nullable |
|---|---|---|
| id | uuid | No |
| evidence_id | uuid | No |
| recipient_email | text | Yes |
| expires_at | timestamp | No |
| viewed | bool | No |
| created_at | timestamp | No |
Relationships:
/api/upload-evidenceReceives encrypted blob and stores reference only
/api/generate-share-linkCreates ephemeral viewing link with expiration
/api/timestampSubmits hash to blockchain timestamping service
7-day retention
None
None
| Month | Users | Conversion | MRR | ARR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month 1 | 80 | 22% | $616 | $7,392 |
| Month 6 | 650 | 28% | $5,082 | $60,984 |
Military-grade encryption and blockchain proof for activists documenting torture and sexual violence by Tanzanian authorities.
1. Private outreach to 15 independent journalists already documenting police brutality via trusted intermediaries. 2. Partner with the Legal and Human Rights Centre in Dar es Salaam to provide free Guardian accounts to their field investigators. 3. Present case studies at the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights session.
Excellent encrypted messaging
Not purpose-built for structured evidence collection or legal chain-of-custody
Specialized incident templates, blockchain timestamping and lawyer sharing workflows
Secure note taking
No video evidence focus or duress features for hostile environments
Activist-specific templates and one-tap recording optimized for field use under pressure
Security moat through specialized encryption patterns and growing library of verified legal templates that improve over time with lawyer feedback.
Cheap mobile encryption libraries, maturing blockchain timestamping services, and rising demand for admissible digital evidence in African human rights courts have converged.
Developer could be targeted by state actors
Open source the client, operate through legal entity in friendly jurisdiction, partner with digital rights defense organizations
Encryption implementation flaws
Third-party security audit before launch and bug bounty program
Success: At least 15 express strong willingness to adopt encrypted evidence tool
Success: Minimum 40 pieces of evidence successfully captured and shared with lawyers during beta
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