Social Proximity
A tool for nudging people into real, face-to-face conversation — powered by consent, shared interests, and conversational AI.
Status: Early concept / prototype phase
Overview
Social Proximity is a tool for nudging people into real, physical conversation — not a messaging app, not a dating platform, not a social network.
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.
The goal is to lower the barrier to the first word. Once the conversation starts, the app steps back.
Core Idea
Most social apps pull people deeper into their screens. Social Proximity does the opposite.
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.
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 a little more and suggests a conversation opener. The nudge is the product. The real-world conversation is the goal.
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 suggests a natural opener to help break the ice — then the real conversation takes over. For example:
- "You both work with cloud infrastructure."
- "You both enjoy early hardstyle."
- "Maybe ask about Kubernetes homelabs."
Once the nudge lands, the phone goes back in the pocket.
🔒 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
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
Vision
Most technology pulls people away from the room they're in. Social Proximity does the opposite.
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.
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.
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 | The app nudges, then steps back — no feeds, no chat, no retention loops |
Technical Direction
Mobile
- React Native or Flutter
- Native BLE integration
Backend
- FastAPI + WebSockets
- Redis + PostgreSQL
Infrastructure
- Docker · Kubernetes · Azure / cloud-native
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
License
MIT License
Created by Henrik