There are a number of situations where it would be nice to send an emissary to deliver a message for you; perhaps you don’t feel like seeing the recipient of your missive, you’re too busy, anxious, tired, shy, or any number of unsociable pretexts. What you need is a way to outsource your dirty work.

Miranda July has created a new app called Somebody that does exactly this. When you send a message through Somebody, it goes – not to your friend – but to the Somebody user nearest your friend. This person (more than likely a stranger) delivers the message verbally, acting as your stand-in. The app works best with a critical mass of users in a given area; colleges, workplaces, parties and concerts can become Somebody hotspots simply by designating them as one.    

Somebody is the antithesis of the utilitarian efficiency that tech promises, placing the emphasis on the users who dare deliver messages to strangers and curious three-way interactions rather than some new-fangled invention.

20 Day Stranger is another new app that encourages us to connect at random with complete strangers. Letting users keep their identities anonymous, 20 Day Stranger acts as a portal into another person's life, feeding users regular updates on what their new found friend is doing for 20 days.