With the unlimited amount of new social media websites, games, and apps being created everyday, there is a concern on how social people need to be. This blog post from Social Media Insights Blog talks 5 new apps that expand on social interactions but also walk on the creepy side of things.
The first app is called Meet and Seat and lets you choose who you want to sit next to on a flight or even meet up before the flight for coffee at the airport. The second app, Tripl, looks to connect travelers with “must meet” locals who can show you around during your trip. Fashism is the third app in which users can submit photos of outfits while shopping and receive real-time feedback if people love it or hate it. Highlight is a mobile app that gives information about the people around you with the same app, but only what you choose to share. Finally , the blog talks about Pair, which creates a sharing chat with only one other person with the app.
Overall I don’t believe the first four apps will catch on. The main reason is because they are all about giving your information to people you most likely don’t know. While you can choose to share the information you want, the creep factor of random people having access to it keeps these apps from being attractive. However the Pair app however I believe can become a viable competitor in the mobile verse. The blog points out the benefits this can have for long distance relationships especially. Since the app is limited to only one person to share with, you can trust that your information is kept between you and the other person.
The social media craze has taken off and set a new way the world interacts with each other. However there are some boundaries we have crossed that can’t be reversed. The internet is already at a point where most of your information is available with enough searching. However apps like the ones above and others look to broadcast your information to perfect strangers. I’m not sure society is ready for that next step of personal sharing.
Could you see yourself using any of these apps?
Adriana M. Bóveda-Lambie, Ph.D. 