Aussie social networking start up promises user privacy

Stuart Corner
Monday, 10 October 2011 09:02

Your IT - Home IT

An Australian start-up has launched a social networking web site Family HQ, designed to enable people to create multiple closed groups that are not accessible to non-members.

User privacy is billed as the number one priority, "meaning families, schoolmates, parents, teachers and after-school club members and organisers can all interact, communicate and share content, without the worry of personal information escaping."

Family HQ was created by Gold Coast husband and wife team, Jase and Brooke Farmer. According to CEO, Jase Farmer, it is Australia's only site that enables users to create unlimited numbers of groups that remain private from each other.

"Family HQ leaves no 'digital footprint' of your information on the Internet," Farmer claims. "The site allows users to keep their identity, as well as who they are connected with, completely private as there is no search facility for strangers or other unwanted users to seek you out."

Family HQ is being promoted as suitable for family and extended family groups, and as a private communication platform for groups such as sporting clubs, support groups, school classes, day care groups etc.

Brooke Farmer, head of development & design, said: "The simplest way to describe what is possible with Family HQ is that it offers a protected haven to communicate. Our focus on privacy is not just limited to protecting your personal information and identity from strangers; it also assists with the complexities of communicating with a diverse group of people."

According to Family HQ's press release: "Four and a half years ago, Brooke and Jase Farmer had a young family and wanted to share photos and information with their large extended family. However, they weren't comfortable sharing themselves and their kids on public networks. With a background in digital media the couple set about creating their own site purely for people they wanted to access the information and view the photos. When several friends asked them to replicate the idea for their use, they decided to develop a commercial service."

Family HQ has been running in beta for four weeks and claims to have 4616 members from 25 countries, as at 10 October. The company plans to expand in New Zealand, the UK and Ireland in the next six to nine months and hopes to have half a million members by the end of 2012.