My Reporter: presentation for travellers and for people on the spot#
Version 0.4.0 for Android and 1.1 for iPhone, October 2026
๐ฅ My Reporter lets you see a place right now, through the eyes of someone there. Ask someone on the spot for a video or photo of the toll booth, the beach or the event, or answer requests near you. It is free and runs on an ordinary Android phone; the iPhone version is being reviewed by Apple and is coming soon to the App Store.
๐ Clear rules from the start. No recognisable faces or number plates, no private homes, never filming while driving. App for adults only. Don't guess: ask someone who is there.
1. The problem#
- Maps say "queue", but not how long it is or why.
- You don't know whether the beach is packed, whether it's windy or the sea is rough, until you get there.
- Webcams are few, fixed or far from the spot you care about.
- Photos on social media are old or don't say where and when they were taken.
- People already on the spot have no simple way to help.
2. What My Reporter does today (version 0.4)#
| Feature | In practice | |
|---|---|---|
| ๐ | Anonymous access | Nickname and age confirmation; no email or password |
| ๐ | Nearby | Open requests within about 20 km, with distance, "by time X" and offered reward |
| ๐ฅ๐ท | Answering | ๐ฅ Film or ๐ท Photo, only within 1.5 km of the place, when stopped (below 10 km/h) and after ticking "No recognisable faces or platesโฆ" |
| โ | Ask | Place typed or dictated, ๐ Where I am now, ๐บ๏ธ Pick on the map (move the map under the pin), or coming from Meet Radar; what you want to see, also by voice; within 1 hour, 3 hours or today |
| ๐ฌ | Photos and videos nearby | In ๐ Nearby, other users' public answers from the last 48 hours, after the check; each one can be reported if offensive |
| ๐ท | My photos and videos | In ๐ค Me you add photos and videos from the gallery or the camera (up to 30, when stopped, with the faces and plates box), each with its own Who can see it (๐ Public, ๐ฅ Friends, ๐ Only me), checked before publishing (โณ Being checked, or โ Rejected: reason); people who open your profile see the approved ones they are allowed to see and can report or block |
| ๐ฅ๐ฌ | Friends and chat ๐ | ๐ฅ Friends tab: find people by nickname or ID, friend requests, text chat between friends only (unread, โโ Seen), report and block from the chat too. Checked profile photo and ๐ Who sees what in ๐ค Me |
| ๐ฅ๐ | Who sees the answers | The person asking chooses ๐ฅ Everyone nearby or ๐ Only me (only them and the person who answered). The person asking receives the answer at once; others, with Everyone nearby, only after the check |
| ๐ถ | Optional reward | The person asking can offer something (โฌ3, a coffee): it is agreed between people, the app does not handle payments yet |
| ๐จ | Mine | Your requests with the answers: photos and videos to watch, ๐ Thanks, close or delete, โ ๏ธ Report |
| โญ | Reputation | Every ๐ Thanks received increases the reputation of the person who filmed |
| ๐ผ๏ธ | Reduced photos | Photos are shrunk before sending: they upload quickly |
| ๐ | Take me there | Opens Robot CoPilot with routes to the place (on iPhone: ๐บ๏ธ Open in Maps) |
| ๐ก๐ | Suggestions and problems | From the app, typed or dictated, straight to the developer |
| ๐ | Quick guide | Slides at first launch and from the Me tab; swipe with your finger |
| ๐ | 8 languages | Italian, English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Chinese and Russian |
3. An example: the queue at the toll booth#
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 | Anna is about to leave and in โ Ask types Main St toll booth ยท "is there a queue?" ยท within 1 hour ยท a coffee |
| 2 | Luca is parked at the service area 800 metres away: in ๐ Nearby he sees "0.8 km away ยท by 18:30 ยท ๐ถ offers: a coffee" |
| 3 | He is close and stopped: he ticks the box and taps ๐ฅ Film |
| 4 | The video reaches Anna in ๐จ Mine |
| 5 | Anna watches it, decides whether to leave now and taps ๐ Thanks: Luca gains reputation |
4. Safety and privacy built into the app#
- ๐ No filming while driving: above 10 km/h the filming buttons stay off.
- ๐ Only people who are really there: you answer within 1.5 km of the requested place.
- ๐ No faces, plates or private homes: before filming you confirm the rule with a tick box.
- ๐ Your position stays on the phone: it is used to find nearby requests and to check distance and speed.
- โ ๏ธ Report: any content can be reported to the developer, who removes illegal or offensive content.
- โณ Check before publishing: the photos and videos that appear to others (profiles and "Photos and videos nearby") are first checked by the developer.
- ๐งค Large buttons and short words, as in the other apps in the family. The app is used when stopped: no intercom needed.
5. The family of apps#
| App | What it does | Link with My Reporter |
|---|---|---|
| ๐ Robot CoPilot | Warns of roadworks, queues and speed cameras in the direction you are going | ๐ Take me there opens routes to the requested place |
| ๐ก Meet Radar | The social network for people on the road: people nearby, trips, places and meet-ups | ๐น Ask for a video of a place or meet-up opens My Reporter with the place already filled in |
| ๐ My112 | Navigation for police and emergency operators | Same family and same privacy rules |
My Reporter uses the same server as Meet Radar.
6. Privacy and safety#
| Data | Handling |
|---|---|
| Account | Anonymous: no email or password |
| Requests | Place, question, deadline and reward, visible to nearby users |
| Position | Stays on the phone; it goes to the server only if the person asking chooses ๐ Where I am now (with ๐บ๏ธ Pick on the map only the chosen point goes) |
| Photos and videos | Seen at once by the person who made the request; with ๐ฅ Everyone nearby also by nearby users for 48 hours, but only after the developer checks them, with ๐ Only me only by the person asking and the person answering. The photos and videos of your profile are seen at once by you (โณ Being checked); others, that is people who tap your name under one of your answers, see them only after approval; rejected ones are deleted. Files on Google Cloud Storage for Firebase in the United States (us-east1), with standard contractual clauses |
| Where the data is | Google Firebase in Europe (Milan), project shared with Meet Radar |
| Database rules | Everyone can write only their own data; answers are uploaded only to one's own folder; photos and videos become public only after the developer checks them |
| Reports | To the developer (the same one who checks content), for moderation |
| Deletion | Delete my profile and data deletes nickname, requests with the answers received, the photos and videos of the profile (even those being checked), the photos and videos sent in answer to other people's requests, profile photo, friends, conversations, blocks and the anonymous account |
| Advertising, sale of data | None |
Policy: autorobotcopilot.web.app/myreporter/privacy
7. What My Reporter is NOT#
- It is not an app to use while driving: you film only when stopped or as a passenger.
- It is not a news outlet: it is a platform for user content.
- It is not for filming people, plates or homes: you film public places.
- It does not handle payments: the reward, if any, is agreed between people.
- It is not an emergency service: in case of danger call 112.
- It is not for minors: at first access you confirm you are at least 18.
8. Roadmap#
| Phase | Content | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 0 โ Foundations | Privacy impact assessment, reporter rules, policies in 6 languages, trademark check | In progress |
| Version 0.1 | Anonymous access, nearby requests within about 20 km, answers with video and photo only on the spot and when stopped, faces/plates/homes tick box, reduced photos, typed or dictated requests, "Where I am now", links with Meet Radar and Robot CoPilot, optional reward between people, Thanks and reputation, report, delete data, 6 languages | โ Ready |
| Version 0.2 | Photos and videos nearby from the last 48 hours with reporting, choice of Everyone nearby / Only me, Pick on the map for the request point, dictation for "Where?" and "What do you want to see?", quick guide in slides | โ Ready |
| Version 0.3 | My photos and videos on the profile (up to 30, when stopped, with the faces/plates box), profile of the person who answered with their gallery, report and block, deletion extended to profile content, check before publishing of photos and videos (โณ Being checked, โ Rejected: reason) | โ Ready |
| Version 0.4 | Friends and text chat between friends, Who can see it (Public, Friends, Only me) for photos and videos, photos and videos from the camera too with the editor, checked profile photo, ID to share, Who sees what, Chinese and Russian; iPhone version (1.1) being reviewed by Apple | โ Ready |
| 1 โ Ask and answer, complete | In-app camera, automatic blurring of faces and plates, notifications for answers and messages, ratings, basic automatic moderation, content expiry | Next steps |
| 2 โ "What it's like now" map | Content posted without a request, map of recent content (first step: the Photos and videos nearby list in 0.2), hot spots | To do |
| 3 โ App family | Video of a queue on your route in Robot CoPilot (when stopped), requests from Meet Radar places and meet-ups, shared reputation | To do |
| 4 โ Sustainability | Optional payments between people with a secure provider, family packs and subscription, tourist boards | Later |
9. What we are asking for#
- ๐๏ธ People who live or work near toll booths, beaches, slopes, car parks and events, willing to answer requests.
- ๐๏ธ Motorbike clubs and travel groups who want to try it before a ride.
- ๐ช Local associations and organisers of fairs, food festivals and parties, to show what the event is like right now.
- ๐ฌ Opinions: from the app, with ๐ก Suggest an idea and ๐ Report a problem.
Contact: acquagoin@gmail.com