We’re back with another collaboration and this time we’ve done it with none other than Scratchbac! Branded a social capital app, Scratchbac aimed to bring people closer amidst the isolating pandemic that gripped us in 2020. They’ve realised that we hardly know our neighbours and the community at large. To bridge this gap and bring people closer together, Scratchbac started as a Telegram bot, and their mantra of getting connected to cool people nearby and doing stuff together has paid off as it garnered over 60,000 users in the past year alone.
If you thought that Singaporeans are a closed-off group of people, Scratchbac proved otherwise as 50,000 meaningful interactions were enabled, 10,000 items were given away, 22 lost pets were found and 1 suicide was prevented. This is the true power of social capital. Additionally, Scratchbac has won accolades both nationally and internationally, in recognition of their ideas.
About the App
They have since expanded and developed their own application due to the expanding user base, which is available on the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store. We’ve managed to get our hands on a sneak peek of the newly redesigned interface. Scroll down to check it out.
Currently, the app shows real-time requests/favours from your current location. Users can select a location for their home tab, and another location for their work tab.
It also allows users to comment publicly on a favour, or chat with the person. With the redesign, the Scratchbac team has adopted and imbued a social media style into the app, the likes of which can be seen below.
App Redesign
It allows users to connect with each other (Twitter, anybody?), check out who is in the vicinity and what they are up to by swiping through profile cards. (Tinder makes an appearance!) Profiles that show up will be either in the same home or work location as you, or within a 2km radius. Once they have agreed to connect with you, their posts will appear in your Connected feed and you’ll be able to privately chat with them through their posts.
Swiping away tells the app that you don’t find that profile interesting and the appdoes its’ best to take note and only resurface that particular profile to you if the user posts new and exciting things you might want to look at.
Following & Around Me Feed
The people who really matter are kept within your radar. The connected feed shows all the posts of the people you are connected with. Friends you’re curious about, close neighbours who you’d want to offer a helping hand to, or even someone nearby who has ideas and wants to build an application together. Never miss out on what’s happening again!
Scratchbac’s aim is for you to get to know the people around you and do things with them. The live feed feature shows all the posts of people within 2km of where you are. Be the first few to know about the flash sale at the nearest bubble-tea shop, any hazards you should watch out for, or even the latest tea in the neighbourhood. You have the option to set anything you post to be viewable to either everyone within 5km of you currently, or just your followers. Do take note, each post is limited to a maximum of 300 characters and media such as images, videos and links.
Security
If you have concerns about privacy due to the location-based nature of the app, fret not. Scratchbac does not collect and log user location data. Post locations are approximated within 1km grids of the user’s current location. Users have to be 16 and older in order to use the app, and there are convenient channels for in-app reporting and moderation. Their team of moderators work round the clock to ensure a safe and pleasant browsing experience for everyone.
Lastly, users can only start private chats with other users if both parties have chosen to connect with one another. No more unsolicited messages!
Our final thoughts
To conclude, we think it’s a cool idea to integrate tech into leveraging social capital for the main aim of improving the networks of relationships among people who live in our society, enabling and empowering us to function more effectively as a whole. The possibility of coming together to share hobbies like coding or building applications, learn life skills such as servicing your own air-con or fixing a busted pipe at no cost is enticing, and valuable to society.
Their new launch of the app would be sometime in November, and they want YOU to be a part of it! Click here to be notified when the new app goes live.