The saying “live in the moment” has lost value in modern society. With the influx of social media, more and more people today are simply “living for others.” Our generation has become accustomed to tailoring profiles and reconstructing photos just to impress 2,000 of our nearest and dearest “friends.” It seems as if social media platforms are together creating a singular forum in which living presently is overshadowed by the yearn to awe mass audiences. Dominic Konstam and Atlas Wegman, however, have co-founded and developed a solution to this problem: With.
What is With?
With is an app available for download in the app store that focuses on the people that truly matter—the ones you are with. It is aimed at bringing the “social back to social media” through a network that is up-to-date and relevant. The social circles created are made up of people you are physically with, which adds elements of reality and proximity to our current system of social media. With serves as place for people to showcase their current socializations to the world in an unrefined fashion.
How does it work?
After downloading the app and creating an account, you will be directed to the home page with the word “Tap” circled on top. Tapping is key—it’s the way to connect with friends. By simply pressing down the Tap button and holding phones side by side, users are able to show others they are together and to create a group to post their photos in. They can invite additional friends they are with to the group, creating a space for commentary and hype. The more hype photos receive, the more likely they are to be featured on the public section, where users across the globe can see your hangout in real-time.
What makes With special?
With is unique in that you get the best of both worlds. You are capable of posting to a social media platform while being fully present in the here and now. According to PR & Marketing Manager Remi Zimmerman, “With creates a real-time experience that recognizes and values the idea of being in the moment. It disposes irrelevant social content that pollutes most other social apps and creates the first social app experience this is truly real, relevant, and social.” Additionally, while you can only post in groups for 6 hours (most of the time you are not with the same exact people at the same event for more than 6 hours at a time), groups are forever saved to your homepage where you can always look back and reflect upon memories with your friends.