Maskerade

Inspiration

Our inspiration for Maskerade came from the idea that connecting with people should be fun, safe, and pressure-free—like attending a masquerade ball, but in the digital age. We saw how social media can feel overwhelming, with oversharing, judgment, and privacy concerns, and thought, What if we could give people a space to connect without the fear of being ‘seen’?

What it does

Tired of oversharing on social media and feeling exposed? Maskerade is here to revolutionize the way you connect. Think of it as a social platform where your privacy is the priority, and the fun is in the mystery!

We’re not just a social media platform; we’re a secure space to share, bond, and connect—without the fear of being judged or tracked.

🎭 Maskerade: Put on a mask, take off the pressure, and meet the world in a whole new way.

How we built it

We built Maskerade by blending cutting-edge technology with user-first design to create a secure and fun platform for connection.

Front-End: The sleek and intuitive interface was crafted using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, ensuring a seamless and engaging user experience across devices. Back-End: We leveraged MySQL to securely store user data, such as interests and preferences, while ensuring scalability and reliability. AI Matching: Using Gemini's generative AI, we developed an intelligent matchmaking system that analyzes user interests and pairs them with the best conversation partners, ensuring meaningful connections. Privacy Features: For privacy, we integrated MediaPipe, which analyzes facial expressions in real time and applies fun overlays or blurring effects to protect user identities without compromising the interaction. Real-Time Interactions: The platform’s live chat and video capabilities are powered by WebRTC, ensuring low-latency and high-quality conversations. Our focus was on creating a platform that feels personal yet secure—a space where people can connect without the risks of oversharing. It’s not just a social app; it’s a movement towards a safer, smarter way of building relationships online.

Challenges we ran into

Having enough time to add overlay on real time peer to peer connections, and we didn't have a working product until 7am. also cookies finished too fast