Youth-Created Apps Look to Boost Debate on Corruption in Mexico

Three new innovative apps are hoping to promote a debate about corruption in Mexico and urge citizens to check for abuses of power before they happen.

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Caza Corruptos, Ligue Politico and Obra Chueca were all developed by Mexican youth and won 2016 Anti-Corruption Innovation Prizes in a contest organized by Opciona and Telefonica Open Future.

Winning the prize for best conceptual idea, Caza Corruptos — which roughly translates to “corruption hunting” — is a game app geared toward children between 7 and 12 years of age with the aim of teaching the value of transparency and honesty in a playful way.

Ligue Politico, which won an award in the Minimum Viable Product category, takes a more politicized approach to anti-corruption education by offering users a platform to compare Mexican election candidates and public servants to assess their proposals and work. The app works based on location data to focus on local politicians relevant to the user and promote communication between citizens and their representatives to demand action on corruption.

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Finally, Obra Chueca — which translates to “crooked work” — also won the Anti-Corruption Innovation Prize in the Minimum Viable Product category. The app provides a platform for residents to report illegal or questionable construction projects in Mexico City in the name of promoting democratic, transparent and sustainable urban development.

According to a report by Mexico’s Animal Politico, the creators of the apps hope to bring to light the importance of citizen participation in questions of corruption and the role of technology as a tool for popular education and drawing citizens into dealing with the issue.

The 2016 Anti-Corruption Innovation Prizes were awarded in December to three winners from a pool of more than 80 project entries.