Introducing Open
Open is a messaging app to chat honestly with friends. The key to having honest conversations is feeling safe, which is ensured by two key features of Open. The first is anonymity so you can share your true thoughts and feelings without your messages ever being traced to you and potentially impacting you negatively in some way. The second is our kind and supportive culture so you can feel emotionally safe to be open and vulnerable without fear of judgment, bullying, or worse.
All conversations on Open are moderated and there is zero tolerance for mean, abusive, or inappropriate behavior. Imagine feeling safe to be your authentic self and talk about all the things you wish you could but never do. Imagine feeling supported by other people and genuinely connecting with them. That’s what Open is for and it’s always available to you.
Why is Open needed?
We believe the world needs Open now more than ever. While we are more technologically “connected” than ever, we are actually more socially and emotionally disconnected than ever, including from ourselves. This contributes to the epidemic of loneliness, anxiety, and depression that we are currently living in.
Existing social apps could have been part of the solution but instead are part of the problem, facilitating many harmful behaviors. One is inauthenticity since the apps are designed in a way that causes people to pretend, perform, and conform in order to receive attention and validation and avoid rejection. Another is the toxic culture of social apps, full of shaming, trolling, attacks, misinformation, and worse. And yet another is social media addiction, since the apps and algorithms are designed to maximize the time people spend on them so the companies can maximize their advertising revenue.
What is Open for?
It’s time for social apps to be part of the solution. We’re building Open to provide everyone a safe place to be themselves and genuinely connect with each other. Real connection requires vulnerability, openly expressing what’s really on your mind and in your heart, being true to yourself and with others. Vulnerability requires emotional safety so you can express yourself without fear of shame, humiliation, and criticism. We know that, deep down, everyone longs to be themselves and be seen, accepted, and supported for who they are ‒ and to support others as well. We are on a mission to make the world more open and authentic and we hope you will join us on this journey.
What would you talk about if you felt safe and anonymous? Start a conversation on Open: