How HIRL is Bringing Online Connectivity to Real Life

When it was first unveiled to the public in 1993, the internet was an unfathomably beneficial tool. Over the course of the next decade, as it spread to homes around the globe, this World Wide Web enabled instant communication across continents and between time zones. For the first time ever, the entire population of the world was interconnected, and it seemed poised to bring the global populace that much closer together. However, in subsequent years, as social media platforms began to emerge and the internet’s digital landscape became increasingly advanced, it had a paradoxically adverse effect: these technological tools proved so immersive that they actually pulled people away from open communication in real life, isolating them. 

Through these means, social media has actually pulled people further apart, trapping them in endless scrolling instead of meaningful interaction. Fortunately, there’s a new social media app that is striving to combat this in active ways: HIRL. The founder of this new app presupposes that because people are on their phones all the time, he can utilize them as a tool to get off them; using technology not to isolate people, but to return to the original inspiration for the internet and spark real-life connections again.

The Pandemic Effect

While there was already a noticeable shift in the way people interacted with the digital landscape before 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and its ensuing lockdowns only served to exacerbate these effects further. With government mandates literally containing people to their homes for weeks on end, physically quarantined from others, people turned to online outlets for communication, information, and entertainment in record numbers. Once lockdowns were over, these newly formed digital habits remained and were carried over into everyday routines. Now, several years later, it has become apparent that undoing this damage is a fallacy. With HIRL, though, the app is striving to utilize this reliance upon digital technology for good.

Post-pandemic, many people are facing loneliness epidemics and deeply craving offline connections. HIRL meets that need by making it casual and easy to meet people anywhere you go, serving as a small but essential piece of the puzzle in how people can form real-life connections once more. 

Roots of HIRL

The founder of HIRL, Troy Elliott, spent his entire career in various media companies. In this way, his background combines storytelling, digital media, and community building, all of which naturally led to the creation of HIRL. In his late 20s, he moved to Austin alone for work and saw how much people his age, including himself, craved genuine, in-person connections but struggled to meet new people. Thus, the spark for HIRL was lit.

How HIRL Works

With HIRL, you can check in anywhere, whether it’s a bar, gym, or park, and see who else is there. If someone catches your eye, you can send them a wave to connect in a super casual and easy fashion. Before connecting, all you’ll see is a photo and first name, helping to keep usage safe, as you have to opt in by checking in. Once you both connect, profiles open up with more details, making it a mutual choice. HIRL’s tagline is ‘Live Offline.’ More than just a slogan, it’s a movement to use social media as a bridge to real life, helping people step away from their screens and back into the world. 

Unlike dating apps or friend-only platforms, HIRL is about meeting the people who are already at the same places as you- making all kinds of connections feel more casual, common, and effortless. Beyond meeting new people, HIRL also has fun features like seeing your friends on the map (like Find My Friends) or uploading a photo or video at check-in (like BeReal) or the ability to see what’s hot or trending on the map (like Snap Map).

A Brighter Future

Moving forward, Elliott aspires for HIRL to become the go-to platform for offline social connections. He wanted the app to encourage people not just to meet others in real life, but also to discover new places and try spots people might not have otherwise, inspired by where the HIRL community is checking in.

As he concludes, “Rather than fighting technology, I believe in working with it, not letting it take over our lives, but using it as a tool to connect with people and experiences around us in a human way. And making sure we’re all still touching grass along the way.”