Texting someone over the phone requires a number. An email on the computer needs an address.
But Eric Pheterson is taking it one step further by creating a website that allows users to anonymously send messages to cars by only knowing its license plate number.
Pheterson, a 24-year-old UF graduate and CEO of GOOD Inc., released TXT TAG earlier this year. He planned to use the website to partner with local towing companies to let people know their cars were towed.
“I know they would never text you instead of towing you,” he said. “But I was thinking at least ... they could text you and say, ‘Hey, I have your car. Here’s the phone number, and here’s the location.’”
While TXT TAG isn’t the first service of its kind — other apps and websites, such as Plateside and CurbTXT, operate with the same purpose — it requires the least amount of personal information, Pheterson said.
Users can claim their tags to receive email notifications if they’ve been “texted.” They can opt out of membership and scroll through the website to see if they’ve received any messages. If this option is chosen, anyone can view messages sent to an unclaimed tag.
Pheterson said the service is in its early stages and is currently going through testing in Gainesville.
For now, users can send custom messages to anyone in the U.S. Pheterson said when the service becomes more active, users will be able to reply using preset messages.
He added this feature will remove the “creep factor’” and put his service apart from its competitors.
With the new service, some students are wary of having other people message them by knowing their license plate number.
Meehan Donovan, a 20-year-old UF plant science sophomore, said the service could be useful for the towing companies but added she wouldn’t use it herself.
“I don’t know if I would feel comfortable with somebody contacting me with just my license plate number,” she said.
Laurence Kidd, a 20-year-old UF international studies sophomore, agreed.
“If you could just see someone driving by and then get online and be talking to them, you could be harassing people out of nowhere,” he said. “It could lead to so many possibilities.”
