This "Ghosting" App Could Be Your New Best Friend

By Victoria Robertson on June 27, 2016

Dating in the age of technology is complicated. With apps like Tinder, Grindr and Bumble and sites such as Match.com and e-Harmony, meeting a significant other by chance is no longer something people are willing to wait for.

The truth is, nobody really wants to be alone, and technology is helping to put the individual in control of their own love life — no more waiting on “fate” or “destiny.”

pixabay.com

But with this new age of technology also comes a new age of creeps, particularly online predators. You can now be catfished by almost anyone, you can be hacked or you can simply be annoyed by continuing incoming messages from an individual that you aren’t interested in.

While you’re on your own with the catfishing and hacking (just be smart, people), there is a better way to avoid incoming messages without being outwardly rude.

And, shockingly, the solution comes in the form of an app.

It’s called Ghostbot.

For those that aren’t aware, ghosting is the new age term for disappearing from a person you aren’t interested in, i.e. ending all conversation with someone you aren’t interested in. In the past, you would simply stop replying or avoid this person. But in the age of technology, Ghostbot will do all the work for you.

So exactly what is Ghostbot?

It’s a new app that “will detect incoming texts from a person you’re hoping to cease all communication with and send unenthusiastic automated responses.”

Simply: the app sends rejection texts for you.

Is this necessary? No. Is it helpful? Yup.

Turning someone down is awkward and it’s often difficult to come up with excuses to spare someone’s feelings. The app removes this awkwardness completely. In fact, the user really doesn’t have to do a thing (aside from downloading the app, of course).

According to Will Carter, the co-founder of Ad Hoc Labs — the company behind Ghostbot — “We hear a lot of anecdotes about terrible texting from dating matches, but sometimes blocking someone creates an awkward social circumstance. Ghostbot helps you go through the motion of ghosting someone without negative consequences.”

The app came to be after another app, Burner, — an app that comes up with temporary numbers to give to people — and the two are meant to be used in conjunction with one another. Of course, while Burner is typically used for dating, it also functions as an app for use with salesmen or “anyone you want to conceal your real number from.”

The team behind Burner partnered with Voxable, a team of “bot makers,” and Peter Miriani, a screenwriter, to make sure that the automated messages were personable and didn’t sound automated. The goal was to have a human personality, otherwise the app isn’t doing its job.

pixabay.com

According to Carter, “It’s designed to be noncommittal but also have a little bit of snark or character when it interprets a message that’s provocative.”

And for anyone that’s ever been sent provocative messages on a dating app, this is good news. The bot will send your message loud and clear, without you having to put any thought into it.

If the app detects lewd comments, provocative statements, “booty call” messages or anything similar, it will send messages that include the poop emoji or the thumbs-down emoji.

According to Carter, “we didn’t want the bot to escalate or be too over-the-top or mean.”

However, for those that are interested in using the app, it’s not recommended that you do so for your personal relationships. In other words: the bot was not designed to end your long-term relationship or to screen your family member’s text messages.

According to Carter, “It’s really designed with a specific use case of empowering people to not have to deal with uncomfortable situations.”

So for those genuinely using dating apps to find a partner, this app is going to help you weed through the matches that aren’t quite the right fit, making it a time saver while simultaneously sparing you from some awkward rejections.

For instance, if you are being pushed to go on a date with someone you aren’t interested in, the bot will reply with a variety of messages, from “Nope” to excuses such as “I just have no time right now.”

The app has personality, and that’s what’s going to be useful to its users — it’s going to feel like a real interaction, even if the responses are all automated.

According to Carter, “People sometimes try to make the bot like them. It won’t, even if the person is completely charming.”

Ghostbot isn’t going to put up with any time wasters, and now you don’t have to either.

So stand aside dating app creepers — there’s a new app in town, and it’s tired of your crap.

So download the app now and avoid the awkwardness! Take back control of your love life.

pixabay.com

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Get Top Stories Delivered Weekly

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format