124 lines
3.7 KiB
Markdown
124 lines
3.7 KiB
Markdown
# Social Proximity
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> Human-first proximity networking 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 privacy-focused mobile application that helps people naturally discover and connect with others nearby — through mutual consent and shared interests, not algorithms or swiping.
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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.
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The goal is not tracking or dating. It's about reducing social friction and letting meaningful conversations happen organically.
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---
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## Core Idea
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Instead of endless swiping, cold approaches, or awkward introductions, Social Proximity creates a subtle bridge between people already sharing the same physical space.
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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 more and suggests natural conversation topics — no pressure, no commitment.
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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 generates natural icebreakers based on shared context, 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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### 🔒 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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Technology should help humans connect more naturally — not isolate them further.
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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** | No noisy notifications or addictive mechanics |
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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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