Huggle is a location-based social application which connects users based on commonality of places they frequent. Users can only message each other if they have at least one place in common.
Video Huggle (app)
History
Huggle was created by its two co-founders, Valerie Stark and Stina Sanders. It is backed by Andrey Andreev, a Russian entrepreneur who founded the Social Networking application Badoo, and also backed social and dating application Bumble.
Huggle was officially launched on 16 June 2016 at Bumpkin restaurant in Chelsea, London.
Maps Huggle (app)
Operation
How it works
Huggle uses Facebook, Foursquare, and Instagram to build a user profile with photos, basic information and a list of favourite places. New places automatically add to this list when the user visits them in real life. This list can be edited at any time, and users can delete places or make them private.
Features
Features include the ability to like other users' profiles, chat and send photos. Huggle released a "visitors" feature in 2016 that allows users to see people who view their profile.
Safety
One of the main Huggle safety features is a one-minute photo verification. Users can also be verified by their phone number, Gmail account, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. Huggle uses hyperlocal technology to avoid fake check-ins. To check-in at a certain location, users have to be physically present at the place. A user's list of favourite places is never shared. A person's location is only visible when both users go to that place. Users can decide how many places they want to have in common with other users to enable them to message. In June 2017, Huggle was named one of the safest dating apps by Huffington post.
Philosophy
Stark and Sanders co-founded Huggle after becoming disenchanted with their own experiences on dating and social apps. Operating on the philosophy of "Places, not faces", the app aims to diminish the emphasis on appearance matching, and instead promote positive and respectful interaction on-line. In her interview with Bustle, Stark said, "In a society that tries to eradicate bullying, physical shaming, racial, and cultural differences, it's crazy that people still judge others by their appearance when looking for a relationship or friendship. Your looks do not say anything about who you are as a person; your lifestyle and interests do. You're more likely to get along with someone who has similar interests to you than someone who you are just attracted to." A survey conducted by Huggle has shown that dating apps which match people solely on appearance have a negative impact on people's self-esteem. The issue of social expectations on-line is a topic that gained media attention in the past few years.
References
External links
- Official website
Source of article : Wikipedia