The problem CloakR solves

CloakR emerges as a transformative solution addressing critical challenges in contemporary crime reporting and community safety. In today's society, crime lurks around every corner, posing threats to individuals and neighborhoods. However, the act of reporting crimes often faces significant barriers, including fear of retaliation, concerns about personal privacy, and the absence of effective, anonymous channels. These obstacles lead to underreporting, hinder law enforcement efforts, and create an environment where criminal activities can persist unchecked.

The existing crime reporting systems also lack a sense of active participation and engagement from the community. Individuals are left feeling disconnected from law enforcement efforts and unsure of how they can contribute to the safety of their neighborhoods. Moreover, the spread of misinformation, whether intentional or unintentional, further exacerbates the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies and can hinder investigations.

CloakR's AI-powered 'Listeners' continuously monitor news outlets, extracting relevant crime-related information. This data, combined with official police submissions, forms a comprehensive crime database that's updated in real-time. This central database of crimes will power an app, allowing users to easily and confidentially view, report, and share tips about any crime they may have information or evidence on.

But here's the exciting part – every valuable tip counts. When a tip leads to a successful investigation, the anonymous user behind it gets rewarded. These rewards, sponsored by the government, incentivize active participation and create a sense of ownership in community safety.

CloakR takes data security seriously. User Aadhar information is encrypted and stored in the blockchain, ensuring privacy and transparency. In rare cases of misinformation, our smart contract system enables accountability, discouraging any attempts to hinder police investigations.

Challenges we ran into

During the development of our platform, we encountered several challenges that led to innovative solutions. To address the issue of spam accounts and the potential submission of misleading or false information detrimental to police investigations, we devised a comprehensive approach. Each user is required to link their Aadhar, which is then securely encrypted and stored within the blockchain, beyond our access. In rare instances, such as when false information is deliberately submitted to obstruct ongoing investigations, a smart contract will facilitate the decryption of Aadhar details from the blockchain. This measure enables the police to access the individual's information for legal actions and consequences. Additionally, we established an admin panel for meticulous moderation and filtering of information before it is relayed to the police dashboard.

Furthermore, ensuring the platform's efficacy demanded a substantial, real-time database to accommodate contributions from users nationwide, even though collaboration with police from all regions might not be uniform. To tackle this challenge, we introduced the concept of a Listener, a perpetually active component that continuously monitors online news outlets. Employing advanced web-scraping techniques and a cutting-edge NLP model, the Listener extracts pertinent crime-related details from these sources. This innovative solution ensures a robust and up-to-date database, empowering users across the country to actively engage and earn incentives while aiding the cause of crime prevention.