The recent relaunch of the government-owned VenApp in Venezuela has raised alarms about the use of technology applications to monitor and report citizens critical of the government.

The update allows users to submit reports against anti-government protesters, immediately following President Nicolás Maduro’s controversial re-election. 

Matt Mahmoudi, director of the Silicon Valley Initiative at Amnesty International, warned about the implications: “The fact that technology developers revised the application to add this new feature and tech platforms subsequently made it widely available raises the question: are these companies fulfilling their human rights responsibilities?” 

Mahmoudi noted that companies should have assessed the risks of the Venezuelan government using the application not only to limit freedom of expression and peaceful assembly but also to potentially contribute to illegitimate detentions and other serious human rights abuses.

“By encouraging the reporting of protesters and providing a platform for large-scale denunciation, the government of Venezuela risks violating international human rights law,” he added. 

Maduro’s request

Reports indicate that following Maduro’s re-election, the president publicly encouraged citizens to use VenApp to report individuals questioning his government.

Human rights groups have reported thousands of detentions and dozens of deaths in opposition crackdowns. Venezuela is currently under investigation for crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court and the UN, which have denounced the government’s repressive policies. 

Originally launched in 2022 to report energy issues and emergencies, the application was removed from Google Play and the App Store after public protests, but it remains active for users who already installed it, raising concerns about its continued use as a mass surveillance tool. 

Amnesty International has repeatedly documented how tech companies often deploy tools without adequately assessing human rights risks. Mahmoudi emphasized that companies have a responsibility to act diligently and address potential dangers, especially in a country with a history of political repression like Venezuela.