Start with your surroundings
Your usual café A break between classes The places you already spend time DOS puts nearby people at the center of discovery
A local community, one city first
We are starting in Iași so people can discover DOS together Early on, the profiles you see will depend on who is using the app around you
Nearby is an estimate
GPS reception, buildings and phone settings can affect distance estimates Use them as nearby context, not as an exact position or a way to track someone
DOS is not a location-tracking or emergency service
Choose when to take part
Nearby discovery works with your location permission and visibility choices Take a break when you need one, and respect other people’s boundaries
What a nearby result tells you
Nearby discovery introduces profiles from the surrounding area when people participate in sharing It can provide useful context for a familiar face at a café or a person with similar interests around campus The people available can change as sharing sessions start and stop
A nearby result is not an invitation to approach someone, evidence that they are in a particular room, or proof that they are available to talk DOS shows approximate distance rather than another person’s exact coordinates or a map pin Treat the person’s choices and responses as the guide to any interaction
Why you might see few or no profiles
DOS is beginning with Iași, so participation can be uneven while the community develops An empty list can simply mean there are few participating people nearby Location permissions, connection quality, your sharing choices and the freshness of location samples can also affect results
Start by checking your connection and the explanation beside the visibility control Review the app’s location permission in phone settings if the feature asks for it Do not enable optional background access just to fill a list For persistent problems, include your app version and phone model in a support request, without sending precise coordinates or sign-in codes
Use distance as context, not a tracking tool
Buildings, GPS reception and phone settings can affect an estimate An old encounter is also different from someone being visible now In DOS 1.0.6 beta, recent encounters can remain in signed-in Alerts for up to three hours; that does not mean the other person is still sharing
Repeatedly checking someone’s distance to infer a home, workplace or daily routine is not an appropriate use of DOS Read the location privacy guide before using nearby features, and review safety controls if an interaction becomes uncomfortable
Looking for people to meet near you?
Start with a shared interest and an activity you would both enjoy. DOS can introduce participating nearby profiles, but it does not show every person around you or decide whether someone is looking for friendship, dating or a professional conversation. The next step depends on each person’s choice.
Read our practical guide to meeting people without dating apps for group activities and first-message examples. If you are in the first rollout city, the Iași local guide offers other ways to get started while you check DOS availability.
Use the free Iași social planner to choose three practical steps around your interests and available time. It works without an account or location access. Check each activity with its organiser; the planner does not book events.