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'Uber for guns' app Protector lets you hire armed body guards like you would an Uber — but does anyone need this? | TechCrunch

Mar 01, 2025 - techcrunch.com
A new app called Protector, which allows users to order a Secret Service-like security detail, has launched in Los Angeles and New York City. The app's marketing strategy involved viral TikTok videos featuring influencers, resulting in significant initial downloads. However, the app's high cost and unclear target audience raise questions about its sustainability. Protector's guards are active or retired law enforcement officers, and the service costs at least $1,000 for five hours, plus a membership fee. Despite initial curiosity, the app's popularity has waned, and its future remains uncertain.

Protector is backed by angel investors, including Balaji Srinivasan, and is part of a broader trend of apps offering armed security services, similar to BlackWolf. The app plans to expand with a new service called Patrol, allowing users to crowdfund neighborhood security. This move is controversial, given the current climate of distrust in law enforcement. The app's approach recalls past controversies with similar apps like Citizen, which faced backlash for its aggressive tactics. Protector's future success will depend on its ability to navigate these challenges and find a sustainable customer base.

Key takeaways:

  • Protector is a new app that allows users to order a Secret Service-like security detail, but its target customer base is unclear and its sustainability is questionable.
  • The app has been downloaded about 97,000 times in its first week, but its initial curiosity has slowed down, and it now sits at No. 70 on the Travel chart.
  • Protector's marketing strategy involves controversial and extravagant social media campaigns, similar to other apps like BlackWolf and Citizen, which have faced criticism for fear mongering and misinformation.
  • Protector plans to launch another app called "Patrol," allowing users to crowdfund security guards to surveil their neighborhoods, a move that could be controversial given current public sentiment towards law enforcement.
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