New York – An Orthodox Five Towns resident has released a new smartphone app designed to give users greater control over files shared via email or Facebook.
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Dstrux, the brainchild of Nathan Hecht, allows users to limit the lifespan of items that are shared with the option of a self destruct timer, which will destroy the item sent anywhere from one minute to just under 31 days after transmission. Additionally, users can decide whether the item can be forwarded to others and offers the ability to control access to any additional recipients.
“I got started with a little bug in my head as I was realizing that everything we share electronically is permanent and I had a problem with that,” Hecht told VIN News. “There were many instances where I sent something out and I wished I could control it or call it back. Coupled with the many leaks that go on in the world, I felt that the timing was right to introduce a product where people would be able to control the things that they shared on the web.”
In order to ensure that the user maintains control over items sent, files shared with Dstrux cannot be printed, saved or preserved via screen capture.
“People are becoming more aware that when you share something on the web it is out there permanently,” said Hecht. “You lose control once you hit send and people are starting to realize that maybe that isn’t the smartest thing in the world. With Dstrux you can follow where your files go throughout the web and you can control access to them.”
Hecht, a father of five who lives in Woodmere, noted that sending files via Dstrux also offers an added element of protection.
“When you share something, the platform you use to share it, the Googles, the Yahoos and the Facebooks, can do whatever they want with it,” observed Hecht. “They are parsing it and using it for their own massive marketing and we don’t do any of that. Everything that gets sent through Dstrux is encrypted and we have no access to it. We believe that what you send is yours and we are nothing more than the carrier.”
According to Hecht, the response to Dstrux has far surpassed his expectations.
“Right now about fifty percent of our downloads are coming from small businesses who want to protect their intellectual property,” said Hecht. “The rest seem to be people who want to share their stuff safely.”
Dstrux has been featured on numerous tech sites including Mashable, Tech Crunch and PC Magazine and Hecht says he has been swamped with offers from potential investors, noting that the company is not for sale.
Dstrux, which supports approximately 25 different types of files, is currently available on iTunes with an Android version to debut shortly. Future versions of the app will offer the ability to share files via Twitter, Instagram and WhatsApp.
sounds good, how much does it cost to sign up?
How do I invest?