Dive Brief:
- Rave Guardian and Circle of 6 are two of the more popular personal security smartphone apps on campuses this fall.
- About 100 colleges and universities — including the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, Providence College, and Brown University — are recommending customized versions of Rave Guardian to their students, the Boston Globe reports.
- Circle of 6 is used by more than 100,000 people and has been recommended by Williams College and the University of California-Los Angeles.
Dive Insight:
With all of the attention on campus sexual assaults and prevention measures, the market is growing for apps that help students broadcast their GPS location, keep in contact with friends and family during potentially dangerous situations, or quickly contact emergency numbers or police. Another app, OnWatchOnCampus, is talking to about a dozen colleges about customizing the software for use on their campuses. Providence College is planning orientations, workshops, and a poster publicity campaign to help students download and use Raven Guardian.