130 lines
4.2 KiB
Markdown
130 lines
4.2 KiB
Markdown
# Social Proximity
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> A tool for nudging people into real, face-to-face conversation — powered by consent, shared interests, and conversational AI.
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**Status:** Early concept / prototype phase
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---
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## Overview
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Social Proximity is a tool for nudging people into real, physical conversation — not a messaging app, not a dating platform, not a social network.
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The app detects when two users with shared interests are physically close to each other — at a café, conference, coworking space, airport, or social event — and gives them a gentle nudge: *"you might want to say hello."* What happens next is entirely up to them, in person.
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The goal is to lower the barrier to the first word. Once the conversation starts, the app steps back.
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---
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## Core Idea
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Most social apps pull people deeper into their screens. Social Proximity does the opposite.
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Instead of endless swiping, cold approaches, or awkward introductions, it creates a subtle bridge between people already sharing the same physical space — and then nudges them to put the phone down and actually talk.
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When proximity and mutual interest align, users might see something like:
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> *"Someone nearby also works with DevOps and enjoys philosophy & hardstyle."*
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If both users are open to connecting, the app reveals a little more and suggests a conversation opener. The nudge is the product. The real-world conversation is the goal.
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---
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## Features
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### 📡 Proximity Detection
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- Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) based nearby detection
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- Approximate distance awareness (1–3 metres)
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- No GPS required
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### 🤝 Mutual Consent
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- Both users must explicitly opt in before any information is shared
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- No passive tracking or forced visibility
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### 🎯 Shared Interests
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Users can optionally share hobbies, professional interests, passions, and topics they enjoy discussing. Only matched interests are surfaced to the other person.
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### 💬 AI Conversation Starters
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The app suggests a natural opener to help break the ice — then the real conversation takes over. For example:
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- *"You both work with cloud infrastructure."*
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- *"You both enjoy early hardstyle."*
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- *"Maybe ask about Kubernetes homelabs."*
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Once the nudge lands, the phone goes back in the pocket.
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### 🔒 Privacy First
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Designed from the ground up with privacy in mind:
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- No live maps or exact locations
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- No movement tracking or location history
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- Ephemeral identifiers
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- Minimal data retention
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---
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## Use Cases
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Social Proximity fits naturally wherever people gather:
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- Conferences and networking events
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- Coworking spaces and university campuses
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- Cafés and airports
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- Social discovery for introverts
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- Professional networking without the business card awkwardness
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---
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## Vision
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Most technology pulls people away from the room they're in. Social Proximity does the opposite.
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It's a nudge tool — designed to create the small spark that starts a real conversation between two people who are already standing near each other. The app's job is to get out of the way as quickly as possible, and let the human moment take over.
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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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---
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## Guiding Principles
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| Principle | What it means |
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| **Human-first** | The app should feel calm, respectful, and natural |
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| **Consent-first** | No interaction happens without mutual participation |
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| **Privacy-first** | Users should never feel monitored or exposed |
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| **Minimalism** | The app nudges, then steps back — no feeds, no chat, no retention loops |
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---
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## Technical Direction
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### Mobile
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- React Native or Flutter
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- Native BLE integration
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### Backend
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- FastAPI + WebSockets
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- Redis + PostgreSQL
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### Infrastructure
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- Docker · Kubernetes · Azure / cloud-native
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---
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## Future Ideas
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- **Event mode** — optimised for conferences and meetups
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- **Café mode** — relaxed, low-key discovery
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- **Temporary "open to talk" sessions** — time-boxed availability
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- **AI-generated introductions** — personalised openers beyond icebreakers
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- **Shared mood / interests** — richer contextual matching
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- **UWB support** — more accurate proximity sensing
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---
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## License
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MIT License
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---
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*Created by Henrik*
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