Category: Society & Culture

In a world where the internet connects people from all walks of life, ensuring safety when meeting strangers has become a vital concern. The digital world, while a hotbed of opportunities, also harbors various lurking dangers including identity thieves, cyber criminals, and predators who create fake online personas to deceive others (known as catfishing). Catfishing is alarmingly common and can have devastating consequences including the threat of kidnapping and human trafficking for those lured into these schemes.

To address these alarming risks, Thomas Kopec and Jay Kanetkar, the co-founders of Adult Real ID, have developed this groundbreaking smartphone app that is revolutionizing the way individuals interact and meet strangers online. Recognizing these dangerous threats, Kanetkar, a former FBI agent, was inspired to take action. “In the FBI, I saw first-hand the risk that online predators pose to both children and adults. That’s why I knew I had to do something to address the threat,” he explains.

Adult Real ID is designed to keep users safe when meeting online connections and strangers. The app goes beyond mere identity verification. Kopec adds, “Our app keeps you safe when meeting strangers. It prioritizes user safety during face-to-face meetings, provides secure meeting arrangements, and offers emergency assistance features to foster a safer digital landscape for everyone.”

This innovative platform offers four key features that sets it apart in the world of online safety and secure meetings.

1. Connects with Verified Users. Adult Real ID allows users to connect with others by entering their badge numbers, a unique feature designed to identify and verify individuals. By connecting with verified users, the app significantly reduces the risk of encountering fake profiles or falling victim to catfish relationships. This feature serves as a crucial layer of security, providing users with peace of mind when interacting with new acquaintances.

2. Add Events and Meet with Verified People. Creating and attending events using the app is a powerful way to build trust and security within a community or platform. Event attendees have all undergone a rigorous four-step verification process, including inputting personal information, setting up profiles, uploading essential documents, and verifying their mobile phone numbers. Kopec says, “We created a more secure meeting experience and knew it was essential to go beyond identity verification and prioritized user safety during face-to-face meetings because it serves as an added layer of protection, ensuring that friends or family members are aware of the meeting arrangements and can intervene if necessary.”

3. Safety Image Feature. To enhance safety during in-person meetings, Adult Real ID has a Safety Image feature. When scheduling an event, members can select a safe image and after the event concludes, both members must log in within twenty-four hours and choose the same image to verify their safe return. This feature provides a tangible way to confirm the safety of both parties involved.

4. Warning Image Feature. In situations where safety is compromised, the app offers the Warning Image feature. If either party selects the warning image instead of the safe image, an immediate alert is triggered, notifying the app’s safety team who will alert law enforcement immediately. Both members receive two emails and text messages urging them to close out the event. Failure to do so prompts the app’s safety team to contact the user and, if necessary, their emergency contact, ensuring swift action in emergencies.

Already in use on high-profile college campuses across the country, the app has gained over 100,000 users. It has become an indispensable layer of security for students and anyone concerned about safety when meeting strangers, whether on the Internet or in real-life encounters. The app offers subscription plans starting as low as $3.00 per month, making it accessible to a broad audience.

In a world where online interactions are an integral part of daily life, Adult Real ID emerges as a beacon of safety, offering a robust tool to ensure the well-being of individuals as they navigate the digital landscape. This innovative app sets a new standard for responsible online connections, empowering users to interact with confidence, peace of mind, and, ultimately, changing the game in the realm of online meetings and encounters.