The police department asked people to send in videos of “illegal activity” via its iWatch Dallas app, and Twitter users responded creatively.
As people demonstrated in Dallas over the police killing of George Floyd, the department tweeted out a request for “video of illegal activity from the protests,” which could be downloaded to its iWatch app.
Some users flipped the department’s request on its head and posted videos and photos of police brutality.
Others called on K-pop fans to flood the Dallas iWatch app with similar videos and photos.
pigs are using this app to have people send in videos so they can identify those in protests. if we can swarm these pages, they won’t be able to find anything on anyone. how about we put our fancamming into good use and upload so many fancams it floods the app?
Not long after people on Twitter called on K-pop fans to spam the department’s app with some criminal body rolls, Dallas police tweeted that the app had crashed.
Due to technical difficulties iWatch Dallas app will be down temporarily.
HuffPost tested the app on Monday morning. It was still down by mid-afternoon, but it was unclear whether the K-pop fans’ efforts are what caused the technical difficulties. The app only allows users to send a tip to police, not to view the tips others have sent.
A representative from the Dallas Police Department sent HuffPost a statement Monday evening saying its app is “restored” and that the cause of the crash “is still being determined.”
“We encourage the public to download it to report a crime or any suspicious activity,” the statement reads.
The department did not offer any further information.