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One of my first "startups" was basically this as a service in 2006 [1] and the Houston Chronicle did a brief story on it under "Get the Message" in 2007[2]. Th

One of my first "startups" was basically this as a service in 2006 [1] and the Houston Chronicle did a brief story on it under "Get the Message" in 2007[2]. The idea was basically that anyone could pay to get any message delivered anonymously using our service as a cut out [3]. 1. Client pays UCC to send a message of their choosing 2. UCC Contractor delivers message and sends proof and any response, back to UCC 3. UCC sends client the proof and any response This was pre-smart phone, pre-gig economy, pre-easy payments and was done with me hiring random people off of craigslist as messengers and taking messages from emails. I think someone could actually turn this into a real service today for really cheap. Probably doesn't scale though. [1] https://web.archive.org/web/20071106164225/http://upclosecommunication.com/main/UCC-home.asp?p=1 https://web.archive.org/web/20071106164225/http://upclosecom... [2] https://www.houstonpress.com/news/random-checks-at-the-bolivar-ferry-up-close-communications-ted-poe-gene-green-and-mac-haik-6540517 https://www.houstonpress.com/news/random-checks-at-the-boliv... [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutout_(espionage) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutout_(espionage)

nickff 6y ago
Your startup sounds a lot like a 'hard' version of the controversial app "Secret".[1] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_(app) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_(app)
- eru 6y ago
  Having people pay for "Secret" might be all that's required (but not necessary) to turn it into something that's not a cesspool.
StavrosK 6y ago
I made a service (https://www.deadmansswitch.net https://www.deadmansswitch.net) back in 2008 to do the same. You write a few emails to your loved ones, then the service checks up on you every so often. If you never reply, it sends the messages. Much cheaper than sending someone to crash a funeral, but also much less dramatic.
- nullsense 6y ago
  More dramatic if you're ADHD and get excited about finally having a way to tell everyone about all shitty things you've done because your impulse control is shot, so you sign up for it relieved that you'll finally be able to get it all off your chest in a way that doesn't trigger your rejection sensitivity dysphoria only to be absolutely mortified some months later when you're secrets are spilled while you're still alive because you got the email and thought oh yeah I need to reply to that but there are only two times in your mind "now" and "not now" and because it's usually "not now" you put it off subsequently forgetting altogether and then boom. Well... At least life is never dull.
  - StavrosK 6y ago
    That sounds non-ideal, but, if it helps, there's a Telegram bot feature where all you have to do is open the notification and click a button, and you have to not do that like four times over two months before the messages are sent.
    - nullsense 6y ago
      I personally still wouldn't risk it.
      - SamBam 6y ago
        I think the best way to set it up is, after you've failed to respond several times (maybe because your spam filter changed our something) it then seems a preliminary email to all those on your list. "Is this person really dead? If not, get him to log in... etc" Some might deliberately choose to click that you're dead, in the hopes of seeing the message, but likely your spouse or whoever would be, like, "Honey, this thing says you're dead..." And if none of them answer, because it went to their junk or they're all dead by now, then it's moot because they're exactly the people who would have seen anything.
        jimmcslim 6y ago

nickff 6y ago

Your startup sounds a lot like a 'hard' version of the controversial app "Secret".[1] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_(app) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_(app)

eru 6y ago
Having people pay for "Secret" might be all that's required (but not necessary) to turn it into something that's not a cesspool.

StavrosK 6y ago

I made a service (https://www.deadmansswitch.net https://www.deadmansswitch.net) back in 2008 to do the same. You write a few emails to your loved ones, then the service checks up on you every so often. If you never reply, it sends the messages. Much cheaper than sending someone to crash a funeral, but also much less dramatic.

nullsense 6y ago
More dramatic if you're ADHD and get excited about finally having a way to tell everyone about all shitty things you've done because your impulse control is shot, so you sign up for it relieved that you'll finally be able to get it all off your chest in a way that doesn't trigger your rejection sensitivity dysphoria only to be absolutely mortified some months later when you're secrets are spilled while you're still alive because you got the email and thought oh yeah I need to reply to that but there are only two times in your mind "now" and "not now" and because it's usually "not now" you put it off subsequently forgetting altogether and then boom. Well... At least life is never dull.
- StavrosK 6y ago
  That sounds non-ideal, but, if it helps, there's a Telegram bot feature where all you have to do is open the notification and click a button, and you have to not do that like four times over two months before the messages are sent.
  - nullsense 6y ago
    I personally still wouldn't risk it.
    - SamBam 6y ago
      I think the best way to set it up is, after you've failed to respond several times (maybe because your spam filter changed our something) it then seems a preliminary email to all those on your list. "Is this person really dead? If not, get him to log in... etc" Some might deliberately choose to click that you're dead, in the hopes of seeing the message, but likely your spouse or whoever would be, like, "Honey, this thing says you're dead..." And if none of them answer, because it went to their junk or they're all dead by now, then it's moot because they're exactly the people who would have seen anything.
      - jimmcslim 6y ago