Palmsy, a journaling app, allows users to purchase phony buddy likes

Palmsy, an unusual new app, allows you to post to a social media network full of adoring fans who only exist in your mind. Palmsy, whether used as a journaling app with a twist or as a nicotine patch alternative for social media addiction, keeps the actual world out of your “posts,” saving them on-device, offline, and secret.

Palmsy’s App Store description states it “lets you make little posts for yourself.” And, at its essence, that is all you are doing. Why would you want to do such a thing? People who struggle with traditional journaling or mind-mapping software may find it a more motivating framework. Alternatively, if you’re social posting habit has grown out of control or you need a break from it for any other reason, it could serve as a method to wean yourself off and get a dopamine boost without revealing anything publicly.

One interesting feature from developer Pat Nakajima is that the software imports your contacts and generates phony likes from them. As TechCrunch pointed out, Nakajima stated on Threads that nothing leaves your device or is sent to your contacts, the app’s servers, or anyone else. “It’s just pretend,” he clarified.

If seeing phony likes from genuine connections makes you uncomfortable, a recent update now allows you to limit the number of bogus likes your posts receive. You can also establish time limits for receiving them, which range from a few seconds to a few days. The app is free and exclusively available on iOS, with versions for the iPhone and iPad.