September 23, 2020
New App Connects HIV-Positive People During Pandemic
READ TIME: 3 MIN.
Have you saturated your swipe quotient? Start exercising those fingers because there's a new app in town, focusing on the HIV-positive community.
Launched earlier this year in the UK, the Positive Plus One app is an international platform to use and download on iPhone and Android. The app is free to download and join, with optional paid features to tailor and enhance the experience. All accounts must be verified via a mobile number to ensure safety and security. Accounts can be created manually, with an Apple ID or via the app's integrated Facebook tool. Once the account has been created, stating preferences and intentions, users can browse member profiles, connect with like-minded others and partake in conversations.
Positive Plus One is a new app designed to help those living with HIV find and connect with people who share their stories. The aim isn't merely to provide a meeting or dating platform but to encourage a global, stigma-free, social community. As the world continues to live, work and socialize at a distance due to the pandemic, Positive Plus One hopes to provide a digital lifeline for those needing the support and benefit of those with shared experiences.
The app's inception began in Leeds, UK, where Christian Mercer conceived the idea after a friend with HIV was struggling with the idea of disclosing their status and found it difficult to meet people. Mercer decided to create a platform that was free from pressure and worry while removing disclosure from the equation, and Positive Plus One was born. The app gives access to a range of free features that quickly connect its users and start conversations, either close to home or across the globe.
The user-friendly interface also offers a subscription option with features that people can choose to enhance their experience. "Positive Boost" satisfies the curious by revealing the members who already want to connect with them, "Power Search" users can fine-tune their search by other members' intent, and "Queue Jump" enables individuals to get ahead of the game in the attention-grabbing stakes.
A portion of all proceeds will go to HIV charities and trusts, reinforcing Positive Plus One's mission to give back to the HIV community.
Users of the app must be over 18. A suite of additional features is already in development, including physical and virtual event listings, in-app video calling, biometric member verification, incognito mode and live-chat support and counseling.
Positive Plus One joins a small but mighty number of sites and apps that offer social connection for the HIV-positive community, including Positive Singles, Pos Date, HIV Passions, and others.
