James — Because I have autism and we developed something that I would personally use. Something that allows me to be exposed to new people intentionally, but without a huge time or effort commitment. That’s why we’ve restricted it to a certain number of people per day. Each person you interact with is intentional. There’s enough commitment to show intentionality, but not so much that it causes anxiety. Everyone wants to find “their people”, but going way out of your way to do so can be too much for many people. This is a way for people like me to put themselves out there, without the extremes of either a potentially overwhelming physical event, or being a kind-of-dehumanizing profile in a swipe app. Just view 5 profiles per day. Not a huge commitment. But you have to give each profile a chance. 

James  — Kind of, but not really. It’s for “social discovery”. It’s like asking “is college a speed dating venue or a networking event?”. The thing is that natural interactions rarely have a prescribed “purpose” to them. We liken it to being in college. Ostensibly, everyone is there for education, but you might meet your best friends, or future business partners, or significant others there. A dating app unnaturally siloes what you’re searching for into a specific goal. There is less serendipity to that way of doing things. You filter out the natural, fulfilling interactions you might have had otherwise. That’s why Otter Raft doesn’t use any filters. The only filters are by being on the app itself. Our goal is to help ND people alleviate loneliness and lead more socially fulfilling lives. So, coming across a grandma who shares her favorite recipe, or someone that shares a very hyper-specific interest with you isn’t a bug, it’s a feature. You might meet the love of your life, or you might meet a close friend. Either way, lives are enriched.

Paula  — Otter Raft is a social discovery app, designed with neurodivergent adults in mind but is open to everyone:

• For adults: this means you have to be 18 or over to create an account and use the app. 

• For anyone neurodivergent: and by neurodivergent, we mean anyone who's thoughts and behaviours don't fit the neuronormative expectations. We do not request identification or proof of your neurodivergency. Self diagnosis is valid, since not all neurodivergent people seek formal medical diagnosis or can access it.

• Open to everyone: if you are respectful, and looking to meet interesting people in your city, this is the place for you!

PS: We aim to open city by city, starting with San Francisco, so you can meet people close to you. But if you are not in San Francisco right now, you can still chat with others on Otter Raft. Let us know where we should go next!

James  — Simple answer: It causes anxiety for many people. Though video/audio/photo/gif can also cause anxiety, it gives more freedom in other ways of expressing your personality. It makes it so that texting isn’t the expected default. If you’re shy, you don’t have to talk in a video. Just make a quick video of, for instance, your favorite plants. Send a photo of your favorite art. Etc. Texting puts pressure on your words showing your personality and being interesting. Let sound and images “do the talking” for you. It’s actually a relief once you get used to it. 

Hung — In the Meet tab, you can meet up to 5 new users every day! If you see anyone who draws you in, you otter-like them! (haha, get it?). On the image or video that creates that spark, tap the “otter bubble” button to send them a like, and you can even send them a personalized message too!

They can see your incoming message when they open their inbox — their response can be the prologue of something very special!

Hung — Otter Raft is dedicated to facilitating a community where all members can feel safe and comfortable expressing their authentic selves. We believe in an intentional community, in which the power lies in its very people.

We hear you, and we want to listen to you. If you feel like a member is violating our Community Guidelines — for example, endangering your safety or other members’ — report them. Our moderation team will respond promptly and suspend the account if they violate our ToS or Community Guidelines. We place your safety first, and want all members to feel that they belong here at Otter Raft.

Likewise, we also acknowledge that miscommunications can happen. Communication is hard. Every suspended account can appeal if you find our judgment unfair and unrepresentative of either perspective

James  — It is for people in your area. For now, that means the SF Bay Area. We intentionally don’t use GPS because we don’t snoop on your privacy. So it’s up to you to determine if the Bay Area is hyperlocal to you. That could mean that you live there, go to school there, work, etc. Or maybe you’re planning to move there, or your family lives there and you visit often. What matters is that you have some connection to the people in the area and consider it “hyperlocal” to you.

Paula  — Nothing at all! Otter Raft is free to use for all users. 

Paula  — No, we don't!