Click Here Watching the watchers
9 snips
Oct 21, 2025 
In this enlightening discussion, guest Joshua Aaron, an app developer and tech entrepreneur behind the IceBlock alert app, shares his journey to empower communities with digital tools against ICE raids. He explains IceBlock’s innovative crowdsourcing features, designed to keep users informed without compromising data privacy. Joshua reveals the unexpected fallout from governmental scrutiny, including his wife’s firing from the DOJ, and the app's removal from major platforms. Despite setbacks, he notes how such challenges have fostered greater community resilience and activism.
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Neighborhood Witness Uses App To Warn
- Ruth, an unhoused Los Angeles resident, used IceBlock to report unmarked vehicles and masked agents near her parking spot.
- She dropped a pin when ICE arrived and aimed to warn neighbors and reduce fear in her community.
Developer Builds Crowd Alert App
- Joshua Aaron built IceBlock as a crowdsourced early-warning app to notify users within five miles of ICE sightings.
- He launched in April 2025 and quickly saw thousands of users adopting the app.
Design Choices To Minimize Data Risk
- Joshua intentionally collected zero user data to avoid subpoenas and protect users' identities.
- He still acknowledged that true anonymity is limited because users must download the app through app stores.