A ‘positive only’ social media app

A new social media app allows users to compliment each other and focuses on positive messages

Spotted: Once considered a panacea for democratising society and helping people feel more connected, today social media is increasingly seen as something that brings out the worst in too many people. While there have been proposals for how to make social media safer, a Berlin-based startup has come up with a new idea.

SLAY is a new app that promotes positive online interactions for teens through playful social gaming experiences. It is a ‘positive only’ platform where anonymity is used for positivity. Users answer encouraging polls about others and compliment their friends. Only friends, contacts, and classmates are allowed to vote for each other, never strangers; and there is no direct messaging feature.

When users start the app, they are presented with questions that they respond to by selecting a different user to anonymously compliment. All users will be able to read the compliments they have received, but the identity of the person who offered them remains secret.

SLAY has recently raised €2.5 million in a pre-seed round of funding led by Accel. SLAY says it will use the funds to publicly launch the platform in new countries, build its product and consumer teams, and further develop the app’s features and functionality.

Reversing the negative effects of social media has been the goal of a number of innovations Springwise has recently spotted. These include research tools that help people to better understand the viewpoints of social media posts, and a platform that rates news for reliability and bias.

Written By: Lisa Magloff