Digital Dignity

Digital Dignity Toolkit offers calm, step-by-step first aid for digital harm. No tracking, no data stored, just clear guidance to protect evidence, privacy, and dignity when it matters most.

Comment

🧠 Inspiration

Digital harm often happens suddenly — harassment, blackmail, image abuse, deepfakes, or threats.
In those moments, users don’t need articles, explanations, or policies. They need clear actions, privacy, and immediate guidance.

Most existing solutions:

  • overwhelm users with information
  • require sign-ups or data sharing
  • assume the user already knows what to do
  • fail to account for fear, panic, or time pressure

Digital Dignity Toolkit was built to address these gaps with a focused, practical approach centered on dignity, safety, and privacy.

🛡️ What It Does

Digital Dignity Toolkit is a privacy-first, browser-only digital first aid system.

The project provides:

  • step-by-step guidance for the first critical minutes after online harm
  • clear instructions to preserve evidence correctly
  • scenario-based response paths so users don’t have to explain everything
  • direct access to trusted human support organizations
  • optional AI-assisted guidance for understanding next steps

No accounts. No tracking. No data storage.
All interactions remain local to the user’s browser.

🛠️ How We Built It

The project was built with privacy as a technical constraint, not a feature.

Key design decisions:

  • Entirely client-side architecture
  • No cookies, analytics, or local/session storage
  • No server-side uploads, including images
  • Browser-only processing for deepfake risk checks
  • Optional AI integration used strictly for guidance, not logging or retention

The system is modular and scenario-driven, allowing users to quickly reach relevant guidance without unnecessary navigation.

⚠️ Challenges We Ran Into

  • Designing flows for users under stress and time pressure
  • Keeping instructions short, actionable, and non-alarming
  • Providing under-18 guidance without overcomplication
  • Integrating AI support while maintaining zero data retention
  • Ensuring privacy guarantees are enforced by architecture

Each decision required balancing usability, responsibility, and technical limitations.

🏆 Accomplishments

  • A zero-data, zero-tracking implementation verified by design
  • A structured first 10 minutes response flow for crisis situations
  • Dedicated under-18 protection guidance integrated into the toolkit
  • Fully client-side deepfake risk analysis
  • A production-ready prototype suitable for real-world use

The result is a functional toolkit, not a conceptual demo.

📚 What We Learned

  • Privacy-first systems must be designed from the start
  • Simpler interfaces perform better during high-stress situations
  • Clear instructions prevent common user mistakes during crises
  • AI is most effective when used as assistive support, not authority
  • Product decisions matter as much as technical implementation

🚀 What’s Next for Digital Dignity

  • Pre-incident digital safety planning tools
  • Account security and preparation guides
  • Practice workflows for evidence capture and storage
  • Expanded region-specific support resources
  • Continued refinement of privacy-preserving analysis tools

Digital Dignity Toolkit will continue to evolve as a practical, user-first response system for online harm.

Built With

Share this project:

Updates