Beaten by lock down blues? How about a video date?
The coronavirus pandemic has brought the world to a grinding halt. Among the countless pleasures of life that people are missing due to social distancing are romantic dates in real-life settings.
In these troubled times, dating apps offer some solace to those seeking out connections, while video chats offer to spark a better chemistry between two individuals.
Tinder says its soon-to-bereleased video app will ease the way people connect with potential romantic interests. American dating app Filter
Off already offers users a FaceTime-style format, where they get to share coronavirus lockdown stories and glimpses into other aspects of their lives.
“There is no swiping, you jump on, join a dating event which could be location based like India or a global event. You can date anyone across the world, you get your date for the night and if you two like each other, you can continue the conversation post that,” says Zach Schleien, co-founder of Filter-Off, which has grown 2,300% since the corona crisis broke out. About 5% of their users are Indians.
Once a taboo, dating apps are slowly gaining acceptance in the country, particularly among the urban youth and middle aged men and women. Tinder, Cupid, Bumble, Aisle and Filter-Off. The range is wide. “People have really accepted video as a way of dating. I am really excited in that respect. As horrible as this pandemic has been, it has collaterally pushed along the acceptance of video dating. I think that will continue as people see the efficiency of video dating. There is no way of phishing, you can see the person, see if you feel the vibe even before you meet. Speed dating on video is going to be the immediate future even after the lockdown,” adds Schleien.
Safety is a big factor when it comes to video-dating. Tinder lets people to video-chat at a convenient time for both parties, while Filter-Off says they are adding more robust features. Strict action is taken against those acting inappropriately and their account will be suspended. Of course, the rest lies in the judging capabilities of an individual, on who to trust and how much, whether on video chat or while meeting in person.
A counter question: how much to allow someone into the personal space when it comes to the initial stage of video-dating? Is there already too much information being passed on? Could anything go wrong which is beyond the purview of the dating platform where strict action cannot be taken? There is always a risk, but how willing is someone to delve into the sphere of the unknown where who knows, one might just find love.