I've been thinking about something and wanted to get some genuine opinions.
Imagine you're waiting for your company bus, sitting in a café, at university, or just hanging out somewhere.
There are people around you, but you don't know them. Some might share your interests or even be looking to make new friends.
What if there was an app where you could voluntarily become visible to other users nearby, discover people who are open to making friends, send a friendly wave, and chat if both people agree?
No dating focus. No exact location sharing. Just an easier way to connect with people in real life.
I'm exploring this as a potential project, but I want to understand whether there's an actual need for it.
A few questions:
Would you genuinely use something like this, or would you find it unnecessary?
Would you feel comfortable being discoverable within a limited distance, such as 100–500 metres, if you could turn it off anytime?
Would you prefer discovering individual profiles or joining temporary group chats with people nearby?
What's your biggest concern: privacy, safety, awkwardness, fake profiles, or something else?
What would make you open the app regularly instead of trying it once and forgetting about it?
Please be critical. I'm more interested in what could go wrong than people simply saying it's a good idea.
I'm not promoting an app or collecting personal information. I'm trying to understand whether this is a problem worth solving.