A real-time, free emergency management platform

Real-Time Response Management

Cell 411 can alert your friends, neighbors, and even emergency service providers when you are in danger, experiencing medical distress, or just need assistance.

Decentralized Organization

Join, organize, and manage Cells of users all on your own, allowing you full control over what services and groups you want to have contact with.
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Fully Customized Alerts

You can alert your friends when you need help or receive alerts when they need help, with directions to where you should go. Only people you specifically issue alerts to can see them.

Built By and For Activists

Police brutality, illegal searches and other government abuses can be broadcast out to your local cell with turn-by-turn directions to your location.

Crowdsource your Emergencies

Cell 411 allows you to create custom cells or groups of your friends, neighbors or family members and alert them whenever you need help; they will receive your exact location with turn-by-turn directions to come and assist you.  Whether you have a flat tire, you find yourself in danger or need medical assistance, you can leverage the power of large groups of trusted people to call for help and receive it. We even support public groups that allow entire cities, companies or neighborhoods to join and collaborate on solving emergencies in real time.

Live Video Streaming

Cell 411 allows you to stream live video to all your trusted friends, and request help from only trusted people, or from “good samaritans.” You have the freedom to ask anyone for help, anywhere you go. With thousands of cells all over the world, communities, families and neighborhood watch groups have been using Cell 411 to keep criminals out, inform each other of emergencies and respond to each other’s needs. Cell 411 puts responsibility back into your hands, away from monopolistic organizations.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I issue a Cell 411 alert?
When you open Cell 411, you will see the Cell 411 icon or your profile icon displayed at your current location on the map. Tap on the icon to open the alerts menu and choose the alert you wish to issue. You will be prompted to choose the Cell or group of users to alert, and they will all be notified immediately, along with the time and your location. Users receiving the alert will be prompted to inform they intend to assist you, or to let you know that they are presently unable to help.

After you issue an alert, Cell 411 will also prompt you to start streaming live video to the group you alerted, allowing them to watch the live video stream from your device.

I can't add my friends because they don't have accounts, so now what?
You cannot add someone as a Cell 411 contact unless they also use the app and have created an account on the Cell 411 network. If you cannot find your friends using the e-mail address they used to register, you can send them an invitation to signup. They will receive an e-mail message from you so they can also start using the app and benefit from it. You can send someone an invitation either by adding them as a friend or tapping on the Friends icon at the bottom of the screen.
How do I update my profile picture?
Cell 411 uses Gravatar.com to assign custom icons to our users. If you have a Gravatar account under the same e-mail address you used when you signed up for Cell 411, the app will automatically use your default Gravatar. If you don’t use Gravatar, the app will simply use the standard logo to illustrate your presence on the map.
How do I pull up the "Know Your Rights" screen?
If you are in an encounter with the police and need a quick reminder about what your constitutional rights are, tap on the menu icon located in the upper left corner of the screen then tap on “Know your rights.” It will bring up a small flyer with 5 bullet points and advice on what you should do during a police encounter.
Why does Cell 411 ask for my phone number and emergency contact information?
When you issue Cell 411 alerts, the people receiving your alerts will be prompted to call you or call your emergency contact in case of an emergency. This information is for that purpose only and you are not required to enter it into your account settings. Just keep in mind that others will have no other means to contact you if these fields are left blank.
What is Dispatch Mode?
Dispatch Mode is a feature in Cell 411 which allows you to dispatch alerts to your groups of friends and choose a custom location for the alert. Do NOT enable Dispatch Mode unless you or volunteer as a dispatcher for your neighborhood watch group or another organization or group of Cell 411 users!

The feature is disabled by default and must be manually enabled in the Settings screen. Once enabled, you can operate as a dispatcher for alerts. Rather than sending out an alert from your current location, Dispatch Mode will ask you to drop a pin on the map to the location where the event or emergency is taking place. Once you choose the exact location and send out an alert, your friends will be directed to the location you picked.

This feature can be used to de-centralize the management of emergencies and alerts, and it can be extremely useful for small communities, volunteer fire fighter departments, small villages or other organizations that lack the funding necessary to hire a full-time dispatcher to take calls or handle the routing of calls. The feature should be disabled once used, unless you want to operate as a full-time dispatcher for your groups of friends, neighbors, or community.

Why does Cell 411 require so many device permissions?
When you install Cell 411, you will be prompted to allow the app to have access to certain things, such as microphone, GPS, etc. All of these permissions are required for the app to function properly, and are explained here:

  1. Identity: Cell 411 needs to be able to make calls to the Google Maps API in order to load map data. This requires the Identity permission.
  2. Contacts: Cell 411 needs to be able to load your contacts and allow you to add them as friends.
  3. Location: Cell 411 needs to be able to determine your geographic location, either through network triangulation or by using GPS, in order to relay your location to selected contacts when you issue an alert.
  4. Phone: Cell 411 needs to be able to make phone calls to your contacts when they issue alerts.
  5. Photos / Media / Files: Cell 411 needs to be able to read and write to and from the file system in order to cache certain data, such as user icons and images.
  6. Camera: Cell 411 needs to be able to use your camera in order to stream and record live video when you issue an alert.
  7. Microphone: Cell 411 needs to able to use your microphone in order for sound to be included along with live streaming video.
Can I be held legally liable if I help someone?
Cell 411 is an app that puts the responsibility of your choices on you, the user, which is why we recommend you use caution when rendering help to others or seeking out help from others — especially when using Patrol Mode or issuing Global Alerts. Virtually every state in the United States has so-called “Good Samaritan Laws,” which offer civil and criminal protection for those offering medical and emergency aid in good faith. For users in other countries, we recommend that you research your local laws, and act accordingly with caution.

A good summary of “Good Samaritan Laws” by U.S. state can be found at recreation-law.com

What data do you store and share with others?

Updated 2021-Feb – Currently the Cell 411 system stores far too much information about users and we are working to address the situation.  Contact dev@copblock.app for specific details and what you can do to help. 
We store the following information: the name, e-mail address and other information you enter when creating a new account. We also store your GPS coordinates when you issue an emergency alert.
We do not share any data with ANY third parties for any reason.  However, until we decentralize the app, there are significant risks to centrally hosted databases.  You are not obligated to use any personal information when signing up as we do not confirm your email or phone number. 
We do share the coordinates, type and details of an emergency alert with your Cell 411 friends when you issue that emergency alert so your friends can respond when you need help.  You can also opt to send public alerts to people on patrol mode.  Please report any issues to abuse@copblock.app

How do I block a user that is sending too many alerts?
To mark someone as a ‘spammer’ go into the Settings -> Alerts tab and then tap on one of the alerts they issued. You will be prompted to mark him or her as a spammer, which means that you will no longer receive any alerts from them in the future.
How do I use and manage my cells?
Tap on the Cells icon located at the bottom of the screen; you will be able to swipe left and right to view your Private and Public cells. If you want to create a new private cell, you can tap on the + icon located in the bottom right corner of the Private Cells screen. Once you tap on the Add Cell option, you can give your new cell a name (e.g., “My Family”) and then tap on the friends you wish to add to the Cell. Later on, you can choose the cell to alert when issuing alerts. To delete a private cell, tap and hold on the cell name.

If you want to create a new Public Cell, you can tap on the green icon in the My Public Cells screen. Once you create a public cell, all users in your area will be automatically notified that a new cell was created, so you may receive join requests from strangers. Be aware that if you allow others to join your public cells, they will be able to send and receive alerts to and from that cell and all its members. Note: once you create a public cell, you CANNOT rename it in order to avoid bait-and-switch cell creation activity, so please make sure you name your public cells appropriately from the beginning. To delete a public cell, tap and hold on the cell name.

To join public cells in your area, you can swipe right in the Cells screen and all the public cells in your geographic area will be listed.  You can use the slider bar to increase or decrease the distance radius for listing public cells. To leave a public cell you joined, tap on the Leave icon located next to the cell.

How to I re-center the map if I am in motion or my icon is no longer visible?
To re-center the map to your current location, you can tap the small map pin icon located in the lower right side of the screen.
How do I bring back a missed alert?
To review older alerts, go to the Settings -> Alerts tab and tap on the alert you want to review. Unfortunately missed alerts will not offer you turn-by-turn directions to a friend’s location as the alert or location may contain stale or outdated information.
What is Patrol Mode?
Patrol Mode is a feature in Cell 411 which allows you to receive and respond to alerts from users that are not in your contacts. When users decide to issue a “Global” alert, everyone within a 50 mile radius who has Patrol Mode enabled will receive the alert and be able to respond to it. This could be very useful in situations of natural disasters or should you find yourself stranded away from your home area without any friends being able to come and help you in a timely manner. You can enable Patrol Mode in the Settings -> Options tab, or by tapping the green icon on the main menu screen on the map. You can also adjust the radius for which you want Patrol Mode to function.
How do I start streaming video?
To start streaming live video, tap on the “Live Video” menu option with the camera icon on the main map screen in Cell 411. You will be prompted to choose the group to stream to. Make sure you orient your phone in landscape mode to avoid creating a video that is recorded sideways. You can also tap on “Stream Video” option that will be presented to you when you issue an alert.  Both methods will start a live video stream to the members of the cell you chose to stream to.

In addition to this, you can also stream live video to your own YouTube Live Channel and also to the Cell 411 TV channels on Facebook and YouTube. You can enable these settings by tapping going to the Settings screen then tapping on Video Settings option locate at the top of the Settings screen.

How do I erase a video I streamed?
You cannot erase a previously streamed video through the Cell 411 interface. This is in order to protect your footage from a malicious users who may have stolen your phone in an effort to erase evidence of wrongdoing.

Cell 411 includes an optional “fake erase” button for situations where you are under duress or in a situation where police or other actors are forcing you to erase videoThe button will not actually erase the video but it will lead coercive individuals to believe that the video is gone and allow you to escape a potentially dangerous situation. The “fake erase” button must first be enabled in the Settings -> Options screen first before it becomes visible.

Why is my live video pixelated and poor quality?
The live video quality is largely dependent on the speed of your Internet connection. If you have a fast connection and a good quality smart phone, your video will look very good, however a slow internet connection or a poor cell phone signal will cause the app to buffer video a lot and encode it in lower quality, leading to a poor quality video.
How do I stream video to YouTube?
Cell 411 now also allows you to configure the app to stream live video to your own YouTube channel and the Cell 411 YouTube channel. To stream to your own YouTube Live Channel, please follow the steps below:

  1. Go to http://youtube.com/live_dashboard and login to your YouTube account.
  2. Enable live video streaming by tapping on the “Stream now” option in the menu on the left.
  3. Once you setup your account, scroll to the bottom of the screen and retrieve your settings from the Encoder Setup window (see below); tap on Reveal to reveal your stream key.Screen Shot 2016-08-15 at 3.55.06 PM
  4. Enter the Server URL and the Stream name/key into the Cell 411 YouTube settings in the Video Settings screen.

Now you are ready to stream video to your own YouTube Live channel!

How do I watch my videos?
Your past videos will be visible in the Settings -> Alerts tab just like any other previously issued alert. Simply tap on the video alert and you will be prompted to watch the video.
How do I download a video I streamed?
You can download a video by going into the Settings -> Alerts screen and then tapping on the download icon next to a video alert. The video will download to your device in the default photo or video gallery.

Contact Cell 411

If you experience any issues with the app, found a bug, have any questions, or just want to give us some feedback, please connect directly with our team via the Matrix or Telegram chat rooms.

Get Help, Help Others In Real Time

Download Cell 411 today to join the foremost social network for activists and real-time community based services.