Social media and their mobile applications have exploited and boxed in certain behaviors or habits of their users depending on what the platform was created for. Applications such as Facebook and Twitter allow users to write personal posts, share, and interconnect with familiar others; whether the users personally know them or not, while other applications such as Snapchat and Instagram make users feel as if they must only share the “fun” side of life. However, uses of these applications never require their users to leave the comforts of day-to-day life or force users to physically interact with others due to the applications mobility. The conquering power of these mobile apps is due to the new age of digital culture.

    Digital culture can be defined by dividing the term in two parts. In his book “Digital Culture”, Charlie Gere defines the term “digital” as data that is discretely formed by a series of binary codes in technology that allows instant communication and global connectivity. Thanks to these digital technologies, they have introduced a vast range of applications and other technologies; a few examples being  virtual reality, digital film, and multimedia. Culture, as defined by Raymond Williams, is a particular way that a group or groups of people live their lives at a certain point in time. With these two definitions combined, digital culture is defined as “...both the artefacts and the systems of signification and communication that most clearly demarcate our contemporary way of life from others” (16). Through these definitions of digital and culture, along with a brief look at social media mobile applications, I have developed the idea of a new app that uses digitality as a tool of communication rather than a medium.

    “Friendster” is a mobile application that allows users to create a profile, but does not allow them to personally interact with other users through the app. The only interaction that is allowed in the app is through a “like” swipe button that users can swipe when they find someone that interests them. This combines the Tinder element of matchmaking, but instead of finding matches that you can communicate instantly with online, you will have to wait to talk to them in person. That seems a little odd as social media is usually created so that users can interact with each other on them, but this application is meant to only use this social media as a tool to bring people together in the physical world rather than through an elongated series of text messages online. “Friendster” will ask users to identify their likes, dislikes, affiliations, anything that gives an all around view of the user. However, users will not be able to see everything, but will only be able to view a personal bio that is written by the users, only showing what each user wants to share.

    The application will also work with local businesses to become a host site. A host site is a place where a group of people can meet with each other and mingle. What this entails is that businesses will pay a small fee if they want to become a host site for groups of people who are on Friendster to meet face-to-face with those the application believes will make the most compatible friends. That way, users can be in a comfortable and public environment while also providing a profitable business for the host sites. In a sense, it is like a flash-mob of friends. That way, even though business will have to pay a small fee to become a host site, they will also make a profit as users of the application will most likely pay for the goods and services of the businesses.

    Use of the app will come at a small fee for the users as well. Anybody who downloads the app will only have to pay a one time fee in order to have complete access of the application. Because of this and other reasons as well;  such as transportation to get to the host sites and money to for the goods and services at the host sites, users will have to be eighteen years or older to use the application. However, the target audience of this application will be aimed at the twenty-thirty year group as the app is also targeted at a younger generation. The reason for this is the assumption that younger people tend to not have as many face-to-face interactions with each other.

How friendships are being built has completely changed due to the introduction of mass digital technologies and media. While these changes have made it easier for people to connect, it also must not be forgotten how important face-to-face interactions are. Friendster is an app that combines the digital and the physical elements together so that people can have a full interactional experience with others.