People who don’t reply to your messages is undoubtedly infuriating, especially for parents who are trying to get in contact with their children. So, when one dad had decided enough was enough, he set out to solve the problem.
The solution he came up with was an app; specifically, a messaging app which hijacks the users phone until they respond to the message that they’ve been sent. The primary question which has arisen being, is this an app for concerned parents, or an invasion of privacy?
The app is called ‘RespondASAP’, and it essentially overrides the screen of your phone and will loudly and repeatedly remind you of the message every 3 minutes until you reply.
Regardless of whether your phone is on silent, or what you are doing on your phone, the RespondASAP message will loudly declare its presence to you until you reply. The parents who send the message will also be alerted as to whether their child’s phone is on or not, and whether the message has been delivered.
Nick Herbert, pictured below with his 13-year-old son, created the ‘RespondASAP’ app after growing tired of his son not replying to his messages.
Herbert conveyed his frustration with his son not replying to his messages on the RespondASAP website. He wrote:
“When I try and contact him he rarely answers, either because he doesn’t hear the phone, or because (and I’ve finally had to admit this to myself) he may be embarrassed to speak to his Dad in front of his friends.”
The app has been described by a “failsafe” by its creator, only for use in emergencies.
However, will all parents see it as that? Or will this become a tool to control their kids lives?
While obviously Nick is not necessarily responsible for how other parents use the app, the problem still remains that there is the potential for this to be used in order to control children.
Should kids reply to their parents, obviously that is a yes; however, should kids be allowed a degree of freedom, surely the answer is yes also?
Nick said he consulted his son and “showed him the designs and thinking behind the app and he likes the idea because he will know that if he gets one of these messages then he will always hear it and will know its important.”
The phrase, “he likes the idea,” makes my skin crawl. I mean, come on Nick, you know full well that teenagers are going to hate this app, it’s designed to make them do something that they don’t want to do – otherwise they would be doing it already. Have the courage of your convictions Nick and say something like, “they’re going to hate this app, but that’s the point.”
Kids will also have the opportunity to send messages back to their parents, making the whole system a little more fair.
However, it raises the question that if your child understands the principal behind the app, then why does he need the app? Surely if any child can grasp the concept that they should reply to important messages that their parents send, then they should be replying to important messages anyway as opposed to being forced to do so?
Responses have been varied to the release of the app; however, a poll conducted by Today showed that most people are in favour of the idea.
With most parents seeing the benefits in the app, it will most likely continue to become more popular across both the UK and America.
One aspect of the app didn’t get much attention, however, and aroused my concerns on the website.
People really had some strong opinions.
Nick writes: “When speaking to my friends they could all see other ‘grown up’ uses for the app […] Their suggestions ranged from changing your order when your friend is getting the drinks in at the bar, to finding your phone when you’ve misplaced it at home, to work situations when you need to get hold of work colleagues quickly.”
The problem with this is that the app becomes less about protection then, and simply becomes an app for people to demand your attention.
And yes, the thing about finding your phone when its on silent is a good idea but the point still stands.
Do we really need to live in a world where people need to be able to contact you all of the time? Here’s an idea, if you want to change your drinks order when your friend is at the bar… get up and go and tell them!
RespondASAP is only available on Android at the moment, however Nick has plans to release the app on iOS later this year.
This app will obviously be a godsend for a lot of parents. However, if someone expects me to download this so that they can let me know what to get them at the bar, they’ve got another thing coming.
h/t: Megaphone
