Where is the fine line between networking and just plain creepy? Does anyone even know anymore? If you do would you drop me a note and let me know?
Facebook seemed to create a whole new society of stalkers and horny high school drop outs. Twitter built upon that concept just a little, and now a new iPhone application called FlyChat is preparing to redefine the term creepy. While I will be the first to admit that most social networking applications and websites have a bit of creepiness in them, they deal with accepted levels of creepy. FlyChat has a long way to go before it hits that socially accepted level of creepiness.
What is FlyChat?
Here are the awkward basics. While social networking sites give you the ability to accept or reject virtual strangers, FlyChat is aiming to take down those borders. MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter limit you to being able connect and chat with people that you know, or at least partially know. The iPhone application FlyChat wants you to branch out and connect with people that are close to you in location and share the same “interests”.
What you do is download the application for $1.99 and then create a little note called a “Fly”. Any one else in the area you select to attach your fly to can then view your note and your profile and respond to you if they choose to. Sounds like a stalker’s paradise doesn’t it? Creepy guy staring at you on the bus? Check your phone, he probably sent you a Fly note. Further, now instead of having to go up to a cute girl you see in the coffee shop, you can automatically text her from your iPhone, as long as you have this application. It brings rejection to a whole new level.
To be Fair…..
There are going to be a lot of people out there who will probably fall in love with this application and admittedly it may be useful in some ways. Consider taking a business trip to a different area where you do not know anyone. You can search on FlyChat and connect with people, network, and not have to sit in your Motel 6 all alone. Obviously there are quite a few dangers that would coincide with this sort of interaction though, and there is no way any father would be ok with their daughter connecting on any relatable application. My mom’s lessons relating to never talking to strangers have seemingly gone completely out the window.
While social networks that are used based on location are quite intriguing, the problem is that they quickly fill up with the wrong kind of people. Even if that doesn’t happen with FlyChat it really leaves me with one major concern. I now have to spend money to meet new people and make friends.
Doesn’t it sound scarily like high school all over again?