Glossary
Core concepts
Assistance request
A time-limited request for real-world safety support -- for example "I need someone to walk home with." Created by a requester and carried out by a helper.
Requester
The person who creates an assistance request. They are seeking safety support, such as a walking companion.
Helper
The person who accepts and carries out an assistance request. Must meet eligibility requirements before approval. During an active session, both parties share their location in real time.
Session
The active phase of an assistance request, from acceptance to completion. During a session, the requester and helper can exchange messages and share their location.
Eligibility and safety
Eligibility tier
Controls who can see and accept a request. Three tiers are available:
| Tier | Rule | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Similar to me | Same sex AND birth year within 5 years | Default. Matches people of similar age and sex. |
| Qualified companions | Demographic match OR safety score of 5 or above | Opens up to experienced helpers. |
| All members | No restrictions | All verified users can accept. |
Safety score
An accumulated score based on reviews after completed sessions. New users start at 0. A score of 5 or above qualifies as a qualified companion.
Qualified companion
A user whose safety score reaches the threshold (currently 5). Can accept requests at the "Qualified companions" tier even without a demographic match.
Identity and authentication
BankID
Sweden's national electronic identification system. Used for secure login in Covey.
National Identity Number (NIN)
A Swedish personal identity number in the format YYYYMMDDXXXX. Used for BankID verification. Never stored in plain text -- only as a cryptographic hash.
Location and geography
Real-time location sharing
Sharing of position between requester and helper during an active session. Rate-limited to one update every five seconds. All location data is deleted when the session ends.
Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA)
Calculation of approximate time until the parties meet, based on straight-line distance with an assumed walking speed (5 km/h).
Request lifecycle
An assistance request passes through the following statuses:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Open | Waiting for a helper. Visible in listings based on eligibility. |
| Accepted | Helper assigned. Messaging enabled. |
| Active | Session in progress. Location sharing active. |
| Done pending | One party has marked the session as done; waiting for confirmation. |
| Completed | Session finished. Awaiting safety confirmation. |
| Safety confirmed | The requester has confirmed safe arrival. |
| Cancelled | Cancelled by either party. |
| Expired | Automatically expired (30-minute timeout). |