Every day, millions of people across the country rely on rideshare services to get home safely. But what happens when the ride doesn’t feel safe? For University of Miami student Dillon Abend, one alarming story from a friend was all it took to spark a mission, and the result is 3rd-i, a groundbreaking new social safety app designed to provide live monitoring, real-time alerts, and peace of mind for users and their loved ones.
“One of the girls I was close friends with came running up to me, very distraught, and shared that she had an incident in an Uber, where the driver locked the doors and forced her to kiss him before letting her out. That was incredibly startling to me,” Abend shared on Inside South Florida. “I have a younger sister, and unfortunately, our dad passed away, so I’ve taken on a protective role with her. I wanted to create a solution that would help keep her and other students safe.”
Unlike traditional location-sharing apps, 3rd-i gives users the power to stream and record live video, audio, and location data to a trusted group of friends or family—called a squad. Whether you’re walking home late at night, receiving a delivery while alone, or riding in a car, 3rd-i keeps an extra set of eyes on you.
“Most of the time, people say things like, “Text me when you get home.” And while you might be tracking someone’s location, which is what most people do, you still don’t have eyes or ears inside the vehicle,’” Abend said. “We wanted to create a system that goes further, one that allows you to stream and record live video, audio, and location, and share it in real time with trusted friends or family members of your choice.”
Here’s how it works:
- Users create different squads (like friends, family, or roommates).
- When they feel unsafe, they tap to go live—activating real-time video, audio, and GPS tracking.
- Squad members are notified and can watch and monitor discreetly.
- All footage is stored, transcribed, and summarized for review.
- In an emergency, an in-app SOS button alerts trained dispatchers who receive the live stream and location immediately.
Abend worked alongside over 50 University of Miami students, rideshare survivors, and families who’ve lost loved ones to safety-related incidents. Their input shaped the features and focus of the app.
The app is currently available throughwww.3rd-i.org.
