Low-Profile Social Media Applications
Written by Trinity Duong
It’s impossible in the twentieth century to not have heard or at least seen the effects of social networking through and out of any social circle. It’s even more difficult to have not crossed paths with a multitude of social platforms every single day. Whether you have a phone or not we can see the benefits of different applications in small or big businesses, the fashion trends on the street, and even the events your social circle decides to go to. Everything about this generation revolves around the innovation of technology and its ability to connect people to people, people to places, and even people to material goods and services.
Whether or not you choose to get offline and against the grain of popular social media such as Facebook or Twitter there is a wide world filled with dozens of social networks outside of the mainstream applications. While the popular applications are very high profile and continue to attract thousands of users each day making the web of interactions on every corner of the internet active, let’s take a look at some social networks that you may have never heard of.
1) Poparazzi
Poparazzi is a new photo-sharing network where you and your friends are the “paparazzi”. By creating a profile, you’re friends and you have the ability to fill each other’s account with photos that you have taken of each other. Poparazzi has claimed that their application is all about “hyping up your friends”. It differs from other mainstream photo-sharing apps due to the fact that your friends need to take photos of you and share them for content to be published on your page and vice-versa. In short your friend’s post to your profile.
2) Raya
Raya is a private, membership-based social network application only on iOS devices. It was first created in 2015 and is known for its exclusive dating experience, however, it is also used as a networking application. They grew their app by promoting professional interactions for members of the entertainment industry. While it does cost $7.99 per month it also requires a referral by an existing member that is then voted on by a membership committee. This exclusivity is made to aid celebrities or industry-known figures in keeping their accounts secret.
3) BeReal
Founded by Alexis Barreyat, BeReal is a French social network that claims to be anti-Instagram. This refers to their ideology of authentic moments and it is currently attracting hundreds of thousands of French people, however, they do not intend to be limited to France. Only your friends can see your account as the application is meant to catch your friends off guard with a photo. They want to post “little pieces of life”. You, therefore, receive photos from people who see you without a plan to.
4) Tagged
Tagged is a social discovery website that was founded in San Francisco, California in 2004. It allows those with an account to browse other member’s accounts while sharing tags and virtual gifts. Claiming to have three hundred million members as of 2014 Tagged is notable due to its ability to grow tremendously especially during the era of Facebook. In 2011 they introduced a mobile application to make it more accessible by smartphones. The app also differs from other social networking services due to its ability to engage members through social games which can form new connections with a social circle you would otherwise not have had the chance of meeting.
Branching out your social networks will help you understand the world of technology in a less intimidating manner. With these different apps, it’s interesting to see the function of social media in a frame that is without serious social construct as they are low profile. Try some of these applications and let us know what you think. If you’re interested in learning more about social networks make sure to read our other articles as almost all discuss the integration of social media.
