# Social Proximity

> Human-first proximity networking powered by consent, shared interests, and conversational AI.

**Status:** Early concept / prototype phase

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## Overview

Social Proximity is a privacy-focused mobile application that helps people naturally discover and connect with others nearby — through mutual consent and shared interests, not algorithms or swiping.

Using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), the app detects when two users are physically close — at a café, conference, coworking space, airport, or social event — and suggests low-pressure conversation starters based on what they have in common.

The goal is not tracking or dating. It's about reducing social friction and letting meaningful conversations happen organically.

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## Core Idea

Instead of endless swiping, cold approaches, or awkward introductions, Social Proximity creates a subtle bridge between people already sharing the same physical space.

When proximity and mutual interest align, users might see something like:

> *"Someone nearby also works with DevOps and enjoys philosophy & hardstyle."*

If both users are open to connecting, the app reveals more and suggests natural conversation topics — no pressure, no commitment.

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## Features

### 📡 Proximity Detection
- Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) based nearby detection
- Approximate distance awareness (1–3 metres)
- No GPS required

### 🤝 Mutual Consent
- Both users must explicitly opt in before any information is shared
- No passive tracking or forced visibility

### 🎯 Shared Interests
Users can optionally share hobbies, professional interests, passions, and topics they enjoy discussing. Only matched interests are surfaced to the other person.

### 💬 AI Conversation Starters
The app generates natural icebreakers based on shared context, for example:
- *"You both work with cloud infrastructure."*
- *"You both enjoy early hardstyle."*
- *"Maybe ask about Kubernetes homelabs."*

### 🔒 Privacy First
Designed from the ground up with privacy in mind:
- No live maps or exact locations
- No movement tracking or location history
- Ephemeral identifiers
- Minimal data retention

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## Use Cases

Social Proximity fits naturally wherever people gather:

- Conferences and networking events
- Coworking spaces and university campuses
- Cafés and airports
- Social discovery for introverts
- Professional networking without the business card awkwardness

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## Vision

Technology should help humans connect more naturally — not isolate them further.

Social Proximity aims to create small moments of serendipity in everyday life: the kind that used to happen by chance, now made possible through respectful, consent-driven social discovery.

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## Guiding Principles

| Principle | What it means |
|---|---|
| **Human-first** | The app should feel calm, respectful, and natural |
| **Consent-first** | No interaction happens without mutual participation |
| **Privacy-first** | Users should never feel monitored or exposed |
| **Minimalism** | No noisy notifications or addictive mechanics |

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## Technical Direction

### Mobile
- React Native or Flutter
- Native BLE integration

### Backend
- FastAPI + WebSockets
- Redis + PostgreSQL

### Infrastructure
- Docker · Kubernetes · Azure / cloud-native

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## Future Ideas

- **Event mode** — optimised for conferences and meetups
- **Café mode** — relaxed, low-key discovery
- **Temporary "open to talk" sessions** — time-boxed availability
- **AI-generated introductions** — personalised openers beyond icebreakers
- **Shared mood / interests** — richer contextual matching
- **UWB support** — more accurate proximity sensing

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## License

MIT License

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*Created by Henrik*