DUBAI: A 20-year-old student at Stanford University has developed a Facebook Messenger chat bot that helps refugees apply for asylum in the US, UK and Canada.
Joshua Browder rolled out the latest version of DoNotPay – a bot that was initially created for users to challenge parking fines – to save immigration lawyers time by sorting through the personal details of asylum applicants.
For asylum seekers, it’s as easy as logging onto Facebook Messenger and answering a simple set of questions in a chat box.
The bot asks users a variety of questions, including “where would you like to claim asylum?” and open-ended queries like “describe a threat to your safety.”
After the conversation, the user is sent a completed form along with instructions on how to send the information to lawyers and nonprofit organizations that can help to file the application.
The bot has not garnered support from all corners, however.
Shortly after the announcement of its launch, former Klu Klux Klan wizard David Duke took to Twitter to slam Browder.
“You’re Jewish, but you’re sending Muslims to America instead of Israel,” Duke tweeted. “Why? Shouldn’t Israel benefit from the joys of vibrant immigration?“
Browder shot back: “I am not Israeli. You are a racist white supremacist failure. Even Trump wants nothing to do with you.”
I am not Israeli. You are a racist white supremacist failure. Even Trump wants nothing to do with you. https://t.co/uIgKInIS8k
— Joshua Browder (@jbrowder1) March 8, 2017
