Omaha native creates social media app focused on safety

House and a friend created the social media app while they were at the University of Nebraska. It’s a 24-hour concept that allows you to post a photo or video before it disappears the next day.

House said safety is a priority in its design.

“Social media is like a drug,” House said. “Just because kids have access to it, doesn’t mean they should be doing it.”

The app has a strict 18-and-up policy.

House said for people who have security or data concerns, the app is American-made and American-based.

“The information that you’re giving us is very basic: a username, an e-mail and a password,” House said. “With that, the data that we’re storing is very minimal.”

George McHendry, an Associate Professor of Communication Studies at Creighton University, took a look at OnAire and backed up House’s safety claims.

“One of the things that I really liked when I took a look at the webpage for this app is that they do a really nice job of talking about their privacy policy in a really clear and accessible way,” McHendry said. “Saying specifically what their practices are is a really consumer-friendly approach because we can understand that language and see it all in one place.”

House said he hopes the app will also act as a learning tool and give parents the chance to start a conversation with their kids about online safety.

“Would you want your kid to walk into a bar without your supervision? A lot of those should be a no. I would not want my kid to go in there let alone with me. Alone, never,” House said. “So, that’s the same way that I would like people to start looking at social media.”