A local couple is hoping to spread kindness with the help of technology and a new mobile app.
Sarah Pfleeger and Leo Dixon-Sharp launched Kairo in December. The name is inspired by the Greek word for “the right moment.” The pair said they were motivated to create the app as a way to combat the negativity that often fills online spaces by giving users a platform to unwind with videos catered to their personal interests and goals.
The couple hopes their app will lessen the toll social media can have on mental health.
“It’s just things that are non-divisive, or shouldn’t be divisive. We’ve posted a lot on there and it’s a lot of like couples content, cute little couples content. It’s just things that aren’t targeted at other people to make… make you upset, and it’s not like clickbait news. There’s definitely a time and place for that. That’s not our app,” Sarah Pfleeger said.
Dixon-Sharp added, “It’s not just the posts that are negative — when someone sees that, it also in turn gives them a reason to be negative and spread more negativity, which we don’t… we just want to try and avoid all of that — snowball effect.”
Available now on the Google Play Store, Kairo offers users a general feed of videos posted by others, as well as a unique groups feature.
“The reason we created it is because every time we went on social media, especially over the last few years, it’s been a lot of negativity, a lot of pushing certain agendas, a lot of hatred that we just are tired of seeing, and we want somewhere you can go that people can unwind and actually enjoy what they’re seeing,” Dixon-Sharp said.
“So when you open it, you’ll be going to a general feed where you’re getting the videos that everybody has posted. On the bottom you’ll be able to look at different groups. So our group’s feature is one part that’s really unique. You can join up to 5 groups on a basic plan,” Pfleeger explained.
Users can view groups based on different interests, see content posted to those groups, upload their own videos, create goals, and manage their profiles.
“The biggest things that blow up online are always negative… so we’re trying to go for a platform in general that is just pushing kindness,” Leo said.
Sarah emphasized that the app isn’t strictly about promoting kindness in every post — but about steering away from divisive content.
“A big thing is it’s not like every single post on there is promoting kindness specifically. It’s just things that are non-divisive or shouldn’t be divisive. And so we’ve posted a lot on there and it’s a lot of like couples content, cute little couples content,” Pfleeger said.
She added, “If you are tired of opening your phone, opening your social media apps, and leaving feeling worse about yourself and the world, if you were looking for the ability to kind of unwind, to connect with others, and that’s not what you’re seeing, Kairo is the place for you.”
