The Companion Safety App has been getting some coverage in online media, mostly positive, in the last few days. The advertisement for Companion shows two girls separately asking to be “accompanied” on their walks to their destinations. Their “companions” are people who are following their friends’ progresses on their phones from the comfort of their homes.
What should you do if you find yourself walking alone at night and feel unsafe? Here are some tips. Walk quickly to the nearest place where you will be safe. Be aware of your surroundings. Do not present an easy target. Be ready to run. If the situation is really desperate, prepare to fight. Whatever you do, do not pick up your phone and let yourself be distracted from your surroundings. That is precisely what the Companion Safety App will tempt you to do.
Consider the two girls in the advertisement. The first one holds on to her phone after she “gets” her companion. The second actively plays with her phone and dumbwalks despite the fact that she needs accompaniment.
When you are in danger, what is most important is to immediately protect yourself. One should not allow oneself to a false sense of security merely on account of a virtual companion. There is a distinction between being safe and feeling safe. The Companion Safety App causes users to opt for the latter instead of the former.