Twenty-year-old Mr Browder, currently studying at Stanford University, has seen his new bot being used in the US and Canada to help refugees complete immigration applications. In the UK it can help asylum seekers in obtaining financial support from the government. The chatbot computer program carries out conversations through texts or vocal commands using Facebook Messenger - making it accessible to Android and Apple device users with Whatsapp access in the pipeline - to gather information about a case before providing advice and legal documents.
Legal partnership
Mr Browder developed the chatbot through the help of lawyers from each of the countries. It works by asking a series of questions to determine if a refugee is eligible for asylum protection under international law such as ‘are you afraid of being subjected to torture in your home country?' Once it determines that a user can claim asylum, it takes down hundreds of details and automatically fills in a completed immigration application.
Suggestions
The bot also suggests ways the asylum seeker can answer questions to increase the chance of having applications accepted, such as suggesting that ‘The best answer for your situation will include a description of when the mistreatment started in your home country.’ In addition to a completed application, a refugee also receives location specific submission instructions, details of additional documentation needed and resources for further help. However the United Nations has reported that just 39 per cent of refugees have mobile Internet access.
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