WEPLUR: Meet People Nearby

My role

React Native Developer

Platform

Mobile App Development

Timeline

Completed Jun 5, 2026

Stack

React Native, React Hooks, Mobile UI/UX, Firebase

Overview

WEPLUR is a mobile app for meeting people nearby based on your vibe, not your label. Rooted in the PLUR philosophy (Peace, Love, Unity, Respect), it replaces algorithmic matching with proximity-based discovery, consent-based interactions and privacy-first design.

• Scout to visually discover people nearby, based on proximity and alignment
• Direct messaging and interest-based chatrooms
• Public and private media galleries
• Optional profile verification for real, trusted connections

The challenge

Most social and dating apps rely on algorithms, popularity metrics and monetization pressure, which makes connections feel shallow. WEPLUR needed to make meeting people nearby feel natural, safe and genuine, while protecting user privacy and giving people full control over who can see and contact them.

My approach

I built WEPLUR in React Native as a single codebase for iOS and Android. The experience is organized around Scout discovery, direct messaging and chatrooms. Privacy is built in: consent-based favoriting and approval, hidden real-time location, and separate block and report flows. Optional verification adds trust, and every feature is available to every user with no tiers.

Results

• Gave users a safer, more intentional way to meet people nearby, centered on genuine interaction rather than match counts or popularity metrics.

Responsibilities

• Built the WEPLUR mobile app for iOS and Android using React Native
• Implemented the Scout experience for discovering nearby people by proximity and alignment
• Developed direct messaging and interest-based chatrooms with occupancy limits
• Built consent-based favoriting and approval flows
• Implemented public and private media galleries
• Integrated optional profile verification
• Applied privacy-first practices, including hiding real-time GPS location
• Published the app to the App Store and Google Play

Achievements

• Shipped a cross-platform social app live on both the App Store and Google Play
• Delivered a full feature set with no tiers, paywalls or in-app ads
• Built privacy controls into the core experience: hidden real-time location, separate blocking and reporting, no recently-viewed awareness
• Designed discovery to work without hidden matching metrics or popularity rankings

Features

• Scout: visually discover people nearby, matched on proximity and alignment.
• Direct messaging with consent-based favoriting and an approval system.
• Chatrooms organized by interests and values, with occupancy limits.
• Public and private media galleries.
• Optional profile verification to build trust.
• Privacy by design: real-time GPS location is hidden, there's no data mining, no "recently viewed" awareness, and blocking and reporting are separate functions.
• No paywalls or tiers, and zero in-app ads. Every feature is available to everyone.