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Washington is promoting a "panic button" application that a pro-democracy activist can press to automatically delete phone's entire address book and simultaneously transmit a warning to other activists. Washington has budgeted 50 million dollars since 2008 for activist projects that include developing systems to get round internet-blocking firewalls.
"We are working with a group of technology providers, giving small grants," The BBC quoted senior State Department official Michael Posner, as saying. "We are looking for the most innovative people who are going to tailor their technology and their expertise to the particular community of people we're trying to protect," he added.
He said the State Department is committed to pressing these programmes and conceded that some of these technologies could fall into wrong hands. "The goal here is to protect people who are, in a peaceful manner, working for human rights and working to have a more open debate," he said. (ANI)