This ‘Hey Siri’ shortcut can be used against police abuse

Created by a software developer, this shortcut works best when the iPhone is mounted on the dashboard.

This trick has been created by software developer Robert Petersen. Peterson’s hack cues iPhones into action when you use this line on Siri - “I’m getting pulled over”. (REUTERS)

As the US deals with widespread protests against police brutality, people have been trying to best use tech to work their way around. A software developer has created a way to use the ‘Hey Siri' shortcut to help protestors out. This hack can get the iPhone to start recording during a traffic stop and if an officer misbehaves.

This works best on the iPhone, especially when it is mounted on your car dashboard.

This trick has been created by software developer Robert Petersen. Peterson's hack cues iPhones into action when you use this line on Siri - “I'm getting pulled over”. Being shared as the “Siri police shortcut” online, this has been getting quite some traction especially after Petersen tweeted a link to the latest version of his two-year-old shortcut this week.

A bunch of people and news outlets are passing around an old version of my ‘Getting Pulled Over' Shortcut.

Current version is here:https://t.co/P3rKxJKNKm

Current versions will always be posted at:https://t.co/gFrOSdBV6W#Siri #Police #Shortcuts

— Robert Petersen (@Sonikku_a2) June 16, 2020

Petersen explained in a Reddit post that - “This shortcut may be useful when getting pulled over by the police” and that it works best when used when the phone is dash-mounted, “but that's just my opinion”.

After you have installed this shortcut, and you tell Siri that you are getting pulled over, Siri stops any music you have been playing, turns down both brightness and volume, turns on Do Not Disturb and sends a message to a chosen contact to let them know that you have been pulled over and shares your current location.

Then it opens your front camera up and starts recording a video so as you have the whole episode on record. Once the recording stops, a copy of the video is sent to a contact you have chosen and puts the volume and screen brightness back on to what it was, turns off Do No Disturb and gives you the option to send the video to your iCloud Drive or the Dropbox.

This software will have to be installed, Petersen has shared the link, and is not a part of the iPhone OS.

Smartphone videos being shared on social media have been key evidence in many cases against police brutality and this software helps recording such incidents easier and discrete.