We’ve all heard it before: “Don’t put that on Facebook.” This is often said when deciding what parts of our private lives we want to make public. So how do we save all of our memories, including those we don’t want the world to see? A new app does just that. Spindle is an IOS compatible app “where you spill your uncensored stories the way they REALLY happened.”

Spindle is a brand new social platform that acts like the best friend you share all of your personal secrets with. Similar, yet different from social media, Spindle is more like personal media as Spindle says, “…because let’s be honest, nobody’s life actually happens through a Valencia filter.” The app has the same ideas as other social media platforms; you post your thoughts and opinions, add a splurge of emojis and throw in
a picture. The difference is, you are the only one who gets to see it. That’s right, neither your friends, dog, or mom will see your well- crafted status. Spindle claims it’s completely confidential if you want it to be, but offers a loop-in button that allows you to share your stories with anyone in your phone contacts. Because nobody in my 500 contacts is using Spindle, it became difficult to share anything with anyone. The app is only available for iPhone users, which limits its usefulness because one would not be able to interact with friends who are Android or Windows users. The exclusion of other brands is not the only place the app falls short, as there are many technical issues in the mix.

When attempting to post a status, Spindle brings you to your typing page and suggests that you start typing but it cuts off the top and bottom of the text, leaving the user perplexed about what to do next because the instructions are difficult to read. This is an obvious error that should have been fixed before the final product. However, this wasn’t deal-breaker with Spindle because the software becomes relatively easy to use after playing with the app for a few minutes. They also include a short tutorial that helps new users get started. However, after using the app for several days, the newness wore off, and I was left feeling empty.

I posted several stories and memories for myself, and without the human interaction traditional social media provides, things got lonely. Spindle attempts to counter the loneliness by rewarding you with badges to make you feel good. These badges include spindle stud, rewarded after five added entries, and crowd pleaser, rewarded after looping in friends. The rewards are meaningless and leave much to be desired. In other words, the badges are #notworking. The app basically becomes a personal diary, which
is fine if that’s what you enjoy. However, if you enjoy the fact that Facebook, Instagram and Twitter allow you to post a cooler side of your life while still keeping your private secrets locked in your head, stay far away from Spindle.