Yubo, a Gen Z favorite for social discovery, sets itself apart from others by avoiding focusing on “likes”, and puts young users’ safety first via a myriad of innovative safety solutions.
Engaging on a live social discovery app is a dynamic online social experience. Unlike many social media platforms, a social discovery app encourages connections based on similar values and interests.
Free of news feeds, irrelevant photos, and peer pressure, users are invited to form genuine online friendships.
Yubo’s live social discovery app embraces this increasingly popular point of view. In fact, with over 60 million users from more than 140 countries, this Paris-based company is taking the concept across the globe (including Australia). The Yubo app is geared to the Gen Z market, aged 13 to 25. This growing cohort of digital natives has its own worldview and communication style.
Yubo Offers Three Easy Connection Methods
Established in 2015, Yubo continues to maintain its focus on cultivating authentic online relationships. To set the stage for positive outcomes, Yubo channels same-aged users to a mutual chat room. There, they are invited to chat about wide-ranging topics that spark their interest.
Free-wheeling subjects may include a shared culture, favorite foods, similar music tastes, or personal passions. Provided the users follow Yubo’s Community Guidelines, the sky’s the limit on discussion topics.
Naturally, two users with similar interests will find it easier to bond with each other. And perhaps best of all, Gen Z users who prefer multiple communication options will find them on the Yubo app. There’s really something for everybody.
The Simple Profile Tag Feature
Over six million Yubo users have clicked the app’s profile tag feature. This easy-to-use functionality enables users to identify others with similar values and interests.
The profile tag feature has two key components. First, while creating a platform profile, each user tags the topics that interest them. Second, when others search for these specific subjects, all users who selected the topic tags are identified.
Popular Personalized Online Chats
A one-to-one chat offers a distraction-free “meet and greet” opportunity. First, both Yubo users officially become “friends” within the app. Now, they can chat about virtually any topic that intrigues them. As long as each user complies with the Yubo Community Guidelines (to which they already agreed), the sky’s truly the limit.
Flagship Livestreams (or Yubo “Lives”)
Wide-ranging livestreams are an increasingly popular way to communicate with followers and potential friends. Not surprisingly, Yubo’s livestreams (called “Lives”) are the app’s most-utilized communication method. Each Live is an informal event, similar to close friends who gather in someone’s family room.
During each Yubo Live, between one and 10 users stream at once. Perhaps they describe their daily routines, talk about a current trend, or display an artistic or musical talent. Similar to a real-life get-together, an unlimited number of attendees can offer their respectful personal comments.
Yubo Maintains a Strong User Safety Focus
Naturally, every online user wants a safe, trouble-free experience. Yubo continues to be recognized for its online safety leadership in the global social media arena. Yubo’s five-part User Safety Program is second to none.
Universal User Age Verification
Verifying all platform users’ ages is an important step in ensuring online user safety. In 2022, Yubo became the first top-tier social media platform to require 100 percent of users to verify their ages. Users who successfully complete the process are quickly routed to the Yubo app.
Certain social media platforms’ verification procedures require official documentation. However, Yubo understands that some younger users have not yet received their ID cards. Therefore, Yubo designed a simple digital age verification sequence that’s performed inside the Yubo app. Applicants will immediately learn whether they have been approved or denied.
To ensure the age verification process’ credibility, Yubo partnered with Yoti, a leading digital ID services firm offering age estimation technology. For reference, the Yoti protocol exhibits a 98.9 percent accuracy rate in verifying that the user’s age is higher or lower than a preset age identifier.
The Yoti technology’s accuracy rate applies to every gender, skin tone, and age. For its high accuracy rate, the Yoti technology has been given the coveted iBeta certification.
Yubo Values Its Users’ Privacy
To enable users’ online privacy, Yubo ensures that its age verification protocol conforms to European data privacy laws’ required “privacy by design” provision. In addition, Yubo emphasizes that the Yoti algorithm is not capable of linking a specific facial image to a real person’s identity.
Dual-Purpose Age-Gating Functionality
After a successful age verification, each Yubo user is routed to an appropriate age-gated community. Interactions between group members will resemble those that naturally occur between same-aged individuals in real life.
Yubo’s age-gating functionality also separates vulnerable teens from adult platform users. This prevents adults from potentially discussing inappropriate topics and/or posting similar content in conversations with minor users. In addition, age-gating shuts out ever-lurking bots and scammers searching for teen user targets.
24/7 Oversight by Algorithms and Safety Specialists
Yubo utilizes artificial intelligence (or AI) safety tools that regularly scan the platform for harmful and/or inappropriate content. Skilled Human Safety Specialists, who oversee all platform activity, also frequently perform this function. Safety Specialists also want to ensure that users follow the app’s Community Guidelines. While being onboarded to the platform, all Yubo users agreed to comply with these Guidelines.
Real-Time Livestream Video and Audio Moderation
In 2022, Yubo became the first major social media company to feature real-time livestream video and audio moderation. Video moderation integrates Yubo’s AI tools that analyze second-to-second screenshots throughout the livestream.
For audio moderation, AI tools continually transcribe each livestream’s audio component. If the algorithm identifies potentially harmful or inappropriate content, or a user is breaching Yubo’s Community Guidelines, the AI tool alerts a Human Safety Specialist. These highly trained individuals also monitor the livestreams and are ready to take quick action if needed.
Users can face varied consequences for their platform violations. The Safety Specialist may issue an official user warning, delete their content, or issue a temporary platform ban. A permanent device-level ban could also occur. Serious violations may result in referral to the appropriate law enforcement officials.
Guidance from the Well-Regarded Yubo Safety Board
Yubo’s advisory Safety Board takes the lead regarding online safety issues. The Board is composed of recognized international experts from entities such as The Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Thorn, INTERPOL, and The Diana Award. Besides providing ongoing guidance for online safety protocols, the Yubo Safety Board issues expert advice for emerging user safety issues.
Yubo also engages in productive partnerships with relevant international groups, non-governmental organizations (or NGOs), and applicable local authorities. Working together, all entities focus on providing an environment where safe, enjoyable online experiences are available to users of all ages and personal backgrounds.
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