Tinder for platonic threesomes is an actual thing

There’s an ambitious new app that wants to help you to find a couple of new friends. The app is called Me3 and was developed by two guys who wanted to bring the ease-of-use of Tinder to help people create same-gender, non-romantic friend groups.

Instead of matching you with a bro, or sis, who likes the same stuff as you it matches you in ‘tribes’ of three. The developers insist that with three people it’s less likely to feel like an awkward ‘trying to fill the silence’ situation.

The app is awaiting the implementation of machine learning algorithms, CEO and co-founder Julian Ilson told me:

We have the infrastructure already in place to start using machine learning. However, we don’t have enough data just yet to start acting on it. We have formed 1000 Tribes now, but we need more data on Tribe successes and failures to confidently let the genie out of the box so it can start doing some self-learning

The plan is to apply machine learning to sift through the immense data and create a pattern hierarchy — ensuring you’re matched up with the perfect platonic pals.

Me3 currently has a large following in New York and the developers, who are releasing a new version today, are banking that Los Angeles and London will soon be full of tribes. After that comes world domination — in a friendship kind of way, of course.

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It can be difficult for adults to find like-minded individuals to hang out with. Work-at-home is a big thing now, and that means a lot of people who used to hang out around the water cooler are now working alone in pajamas. I can’t remember the last time I gathered in a break room for birthday cake or high-fived someone I barely know because the company profits were up.

If Me3 can match me up with a couple of cool people who share my views on important things like politics — and Joss Whedon shows — then I’m all in.

Those who download the app and find there aren’t enough people in their area can sign-up to be alerted by SMS when there are enough local users to start forming tribes. So you can uninstall it and forget about it until enough people in your area register.

The app is coming out of beta and releasing with new features, such as ‘personality types.’ You can now answer 10 levels of questions — designed with the help of pscyhometricians and personality experts — that can determine what kind of guy or gal you are and assign you one of 32 personality types.

Me3 has a clean interface, it works smoothly, and most importantly it doesn’t have ads and it costs nothing. It takes moments to go from opening the app for the first time to looking for people want to talk politics or people who specifically don’t, your choice.

There have been 1000 tribes formed since beta so there’s room for optimism that Me3 might just take-off in your area and become an indispensable tool for finding the Curly and Moe to your Larry.