we want to make social media more authentic
why
We set out on this project because social media had made us lazy. Instead of going on adventures and explorations we found ourselves often stuck at home on our phones. So, we decided to make a change, and we created an app that would facilitate our adventures, but still contain some fun aspects of social media. So, we thought of the idea behind trace: leaving location locked videos for your friends. Since we started this endeavor over the summer of 2022, we have gotten tremendous support from other teens and young adults around the world. We can’t wait for you all to leave your traces all across the world.
the future
Leave a Trace has a really bright future. Trace can be used not only between friends, but also for tours, concerts, merch drops, scavenger hunts etc. For example, imagine going to a music festival. You go to the ticket line and get a notification about buying the tickets. You exit and can now see a map of the different venues. You then walk left and get a notification that you are moving toward the food stands. You walk right, and can now see videos your friends took of the performance last night.​
Us
Benjamin Siegel: I'm a 18 year old from Boston, Massachusetts. I'm an artist, designer, statistician, and frontend software engineer. I do all the design, product management, and advertising for Trace. Apart from Trace, I am the lead organizer of a TEDx event, am engaged in Effective Altruism, and publish Public Health research. I volunteer with multiple Latino-focused organizations seeking to improve community outcomes.
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Ben Rhodes-Kropf: I'm an 18 year old app developer, Coding Dojo alum, and student. I do all the backend and frontend coding for Trace. Apart from Trace, I am the head Unity developer for RAQTS: an interactive wall application for tennis training and racquet sports, and am working with NOAA and the ESA to track polar bears using satellite imagery. I volunteer with the American Cancer Society to help build out a database and front-end solution to manage donations and organize information for volunteers.
Support Us
We set up a merch shop where all of the proceeds contribute to furthering our mission. Our four unique designs each come with a special meaning to us and we hope you enjoy them as well! Our personal favorite is the map design, so be sure to check it out.