With artificial likes and follows, Palmsy replicates the dopamine hits we receive from social media whilst protecting our private information. But are these projects doing more harm than good?
Social media dominates nearly every interaction we partake in nowadays. Whether that’s a good or bad thing is still up for debate, but it hasn’t stopped apps from trying to save us from ourselves.
From Calm to OFFTIME, tech companies are finding countless ways to forge ostensibly healthier relationships between us and our phones.
These paradoxical projects have adopted the moniker ‘anti-social social apps’, but perhaps none are as worthy of this name as Palmsy, the latest innovative platform attempting to re-write our relationship with social media.
The concept is simple: users can post texts and photos within Palmsy – to no one. By importing your contacts list, you allow the app to fabricate ‘likes’ from the people you know, even going as far as sending fake push notifications as if these people have interacted with your posts.
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Crucially, though, nothing ever actually leaves your phone. Your privacy is protected and you can enjoy the instant dopamine hits afforded by social-media engagement all by yourself.
According to Engadget, Palmsy is a journalist app that offers ‘fake likes from real friends.’ While the platform doesn’t explicitly state the reason behind its strange set-up, the most obvious explanation for a redundant app is to provide the dopamine hit offered by actual social media.
It’s no secret that social media isn’t great for our mental health. So, Palmsy provides a supposedly harmless way to enjoy your phone without the threats that come with public exposure.
It’s a tempting solution for those weary of the endless scroll and the perils of oversharing. Yet, it’s also a symptom of a deeper issue — a society so desperate for validation that it’s willing to settle for artificial affirmation.