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May 23, 2014

Kitestring – Safety First

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Meeting a blind date for the first time is exciting and fun, but it can also be dangerous if you don’t tell friends and family about your plans ahead of time. Kitestring is a “safecall service” that provides its users with a simple, safe, and secure way to protect themselves.

Whether you’re going on a date or going out for a solo bike ride, take the necessary precautions beforehand by signing on to Kitestring via the website or SMS and starting a new “trip.” Enter the estimated duration of your trip—for example, the length of time you expect your bike ride to last. Kitestring will send you a text message at some point during your trip, prompting you to reply via SMS or check-in on the website within five minutes of receipt. If you fail to do this, Kitestring will alert the list of emergency contacts you set up beforehand.

Sometimes trips go long and plans change, which is why Kitestring lets you extend the length of your plans or check-in early at any time. Because Kitestring runs on servers and not its users’ local phones, the service remains operable even if a phone’s battery runs out. For an additional level of security, users can set up secret check-in words that prevent attackers from checking-in for them. Kitestring also enables users to create “distress codes” as a way to discreetly alert emergency contacts that they’re in trouble and need help.

Practical Uses:

  • Stay safe when going out on a blind date
  • Check-in regularly when hiking in an unfamiliar region
  • Send a signal to your contacts if something’s wrong on your date
  • Tell someone before going on a walk by yourself at night

Insider Tips:

  • Duress codes discreetly alert emergency contacts that something is wrong
  • Text “OK” to check-in early via SMS
  • Test Kitestring by making yourself an emergency contact

What we liked:

  • Kitestring works even if a user’s phone has been abandoned or the battery has died
  • Users can set their own emergency and duress messages via SMS
  • People don’t have to download a mobile app to use Kitestring on their phones
  • Secret check-in words prevent attackers from checking-in on a user’s behalf
  • Emergency contacts don’t have to verify their own information

What we didn’t like:

  • Kitestring doesn’t offer any GPS location-awareness features

Alternatives:

Company Info:

  • Launched: 2014
  • Privately Held
  • Headquarters: Cambridge, Massachusetts
  • Founded by: Stephan Boyer
  • Web site: https://www.kitestring.io

Costs:

  • Free

Comments

  1. nice post for safety

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