

How do you protect yourself against an active shooter? Black Voters Matter chatbot offers tips and builds lists to organize for gun safety.
Mass shootings surge as the GOP blocks background checks and common sense gun safety measures. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provide tips on how to protect against active shooters. How can safety tips be summarized and sent as a text message? How can information on people requesting this information be collected to organize them in the fight to demand gun safety? How can all this be done quickly on a slim budget?
Chatbots are small programs that receive incoming texts, collect information and respond with the requested information. Chatbots work on their own, around the clock and can handle any number of inquiries. This blog explains how the Black Voters Matter 'SURVIVE' chatbot works. Learn more about Chatbots.




Protection tips in an Active Shooter situation Chatbot
- People text the word 'SURVIVE' to the chatbot at 202-858-0303
- The Black Voters Matter chatbot responds with a welcome message and privacy policy.
- It asks the person for their name and zip code and saves this into a database.
- This is an 'opt-in' service and the information collected can be used to contact people later.
- The chatbot sends the Active Shooter safety tips document via a text message.
- The safety tips document is stored online and can be revised with new details at any time.
Get attention and action with GIFs
GIFs are animated, attract attention and easy to share. But how do you direct viewers to do something once they've seen the GIF? That's where an ACTION BUTTON comes in. It combines the power of a GIF with a QR code that users can scan to take action. In this case two Black Voter Matter GIFs from the BVM collection on GIPHY were combined withe the QR Code for the Action Button. https://actionbutton.live/survive When that is clicked or scanned it launches a screen which combines:
- A video you've chosen from YouTube, Facebook, Instagram or one you've recorded
The video starts playing automatically on mute with captions - A brief message which provides details on the need for action
A call to action - such as go to a website, make a call or send a text message - The Action Button shows all three elements - the video, message and call to action
Mix and match the videos, messages and call to action




Promoting the TIPS TO SURVIVE AN ACTIVE SHOOTER bot
The chatbot can be shared as a flyer that suggests texting 'SURVIVE' to the chatbot or with a QR Code that can be scanned. An even more compelling way to promote the chatbot is with an ACTION BUTTON. These buttons combine a video you choose, a short message and a call to action. In this exampled, The call to action in this case is to text SURVIVE to the chatbot.
Several groups in different locations can use the same chatbot as all the information collected includes the Zip Code so details on the respondents can be distributed to the local partner covering their voting district. The chatbot can ask up to ten survey questions, so even more information can be collected if needed. Learn more about Action Buttons.


TakeAway: Mobilize supporters with timely help and organize them to demand change at the same time with a chatbot.
Deepak
DemLabs
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