In today's connected world, relationships end but digital traces often remain. When two people part ways, their contact information might stay stored in each other's phones, leading to awkward situations or even harassment. Current solutions like manual deletion or blocking only address one side of the problem—your own device—without removing your number from the other person's contacts.

A two-way solution for digital clean breaks

One way to solve this could be an app that enables mutual contact deletion. When a user wants to sever digital ties with someone, the app would send a request to the other person. Both parties would need to consent before the contact information gets deleted from both devices. Additional features might include:

• Optional blocking after deletion to prevent future contact
• Confirmation notifications when deletion is complete
• An archive option for contacts users want to hide but not permanently delete

Making it work in the real world

For this to succeed, the approach would need to balance privacy with usability. The consent mechanism would have to be designed carefully—perhaps with neutral notification wording to avoid pressuring users. Technically, the app might start as a standalone application before potentially integrating with phone operating systems. A simple version could be tested first, focusing just on core mutual deletion functionality with consent.

This approach differs from existing tools which typically work one-way. It aims to address the mutual aspect of digital disconnection that current solutions miss, while respecting both parties' autonomy through the consent requirement.