An innovative app called Protector has been gaining significant attention on social media, thanks to a post by consultant Nikita Bier on X. The app allows users to book armed guards on demand, similar to how one would call for an Uber.
Here’s a sneak peek of how it works pic.twitter.com/OWG8HFGYYD
— Nikita Bier (@nikitabier) February 18, 2025
Protector enables users to hire armed guards on demand, currently available only in NYC and LA. As per its marketing claims, each guard is either an active or retired law enforcement or military personnel. Every booking includes a motorcade, and users can select the number of Escalades accompanying them, as well as the uniforms their hired guards will wear.
Protector is ranked #7 in the Travel category on Apple’s App Store. However, it’s not available for Android devices. Therefore, Google phone users who want to hire their own armed guards will need to explore alternative methods.
The marketing approach of Protector, found on its X account, is quite unusual. A series of videos feature robust men in ill-fitting black suits, discussing their credentials in front of a black background. These individuals claim to be operators with experience in SWAT teams and war zones, showcasing vanity shots of themselves in operator gear, all wearing a red lapel pin bearing the Protector symbol.
Andy is a Protector pic.twitter.com/dT262M6qrh
— Protector (@bookprotectors) February 18, 2025
It’s natural to wonder who this app is designed for. A video posted on January 6, 2025, provides insight. It begins with a photo of the assassinated UnitedHealthcare CEO, Brian Thompson, and then demonstrates how a Protector could have prevented the crisis. The video presents several scenarios where a Protector intervenes to prevent the assassin from killing the CEO.
What if tragedy didn’t have to strike? We revisit the murder of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO and examine how a Protector may have changed the outcome. pic.twitter.com/XA2PLNadiS
— Protector (@bookprotectors) January 6, 2025
In these scenarios, the Protector either stops the assassin, shoots them, or takes them down and ties their hands behind their back. Protector is a new venture for its parent company, Protector Security Solutions. The brainchild of founder Nick Sarath, who previously worked as a product designer at Meta and founded the now-defunct photo-sharing app Poparazzi.
Sarath founded Protector Security Solutions in October 2024 and developed two apps: Protector and Patrol. Patrol follows a similar marketing approach, where suburban neighbors pool their resources to hire private security for their neighborhood, with the option to unlock more tiers, cars, drones, and guards by adding more money.
Patrol App
Crowdfunded security in your neighborhood pic.twitter.com/LhPio7sg5S— dsoc_actual (@DSOC_actual) January 24, 2025
Two days after Thompson’s assassination, Sarath released a press statement announcing the launch of Protector. He expressed his condolences to the family and friends of the CEO, stating that law enforcement cannot be everywhere at once and that Protector aims to provide an accessible way for people to protect themselves and their loved ones.
“Our trained and highly experienced team is ready to help provide enhanced security to all citizens as soon as we launch,” Sarath said. “We are here to help law enforcement, and ultimately, we are here to help you.”
