HOW TAIMI IS TAKING LGBTQ DATING INTO THE FUTURE.

As we embark on a new decade, it’s perfect timing for a fresh perspective on modern love, life and community. The 10s saw the digital explosion of dating apps, ushering in a new way to connect with people and potential partners. That has, however, come with its healthy amount of challenging issues and problematic behaviours. Finding love, for some, became loaded with the risk of prejudice, discrimination and dishonesty.

A new social network and dating app is dismantling that culture, taking digital connections and modern dating into the future. TAIMI prides itself in currently being the only social network and dating app for LGBTQ people. There is no other product on the market that combines both of those things. Its users don’t just log on for a hook-up, but rather are encouraged to share stories, discover new networks, and develop meaningful relationships. “For those looking for love we give them the ability to find out more about each other, learn about the person essentially give the users more than just meets the eye based on one photo,” the company says. They have created a safe space for all of their users to post updates, create groups and video call. To tackle catfishing, toxic behaviour and online abuse, the app has several layers of verification, 24/7 profile moderation, around-the-clock live support, and PIN/Fingerprint/Face recognition.

The creator of TAIMI, Alex Pasykov, wanted to give people a space to form meaningful connections. What started as a gay dating app quickly developed into a social network known for safety, diversity and inclusivity. “When we first started, TAIMI was a gay dating app,” says Alex. “However, in just over a year our app has grown to include a massive social networking aspect. Precisely this networking element made us understand that TAIMI cannot afford to be just a gay dating app. TAIMI has to be more. We must give everyone regardless of their gender or sexual identity the opportunity to connect and form different relationships. We tremendously value our freedom and want to do everything in our power to eliminate homophobia around the world.”

At the heart of TAIMI are its core values of freedom of expression, equality and diversity. The app is LGBTQ inclusive and is welcoming to anyone from within the community regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. TAIMI’s staff are LGBTQ activists and advocates committed to fighting homophobia, transphobia, biphobia and any form of discrimination towards queer people. The app has a zero-tolerance policy, so if any toxic posts, comments or language is used on the service, it will be removed. Their 24/7 moderation team carefully reviews all complaints and will act swiftly where necessary. TAIMI is unequivocally a no-hate zone.

As for the modern-day challenge of eliminating online catfishing, TAIMI’s co-founder Jake Vygnan says they have created a system to help eliminate the risk of falling victim to fraud. “We have several layers of verification. Email, Facebook, photo, Snapchat, and that’s just the start of it. TAIMI’s large moderation team carefully moderates all our user profiles. We invest a huge amount of time into AI technology but don’t neglect the human intellect when it comes to spam.

We review each report individually. If we notice that a profile was reported because of a person’s gender/ethnicity/sexuality/etc, these reports are rejected by our team and do not impact the user. If the moderation team has doubts about a profile photo, for instance, prior to taking any action, we reach out to the user and confirm that the photo belongs to them. If there are any harassment reports confirmed by the moderation team, we send the reported user a notification that it’s not allowed in the app, or in some cases, block the profile immediately.”

Dating apps are a modern way of making romantic connections and that trend isn’t going to change anytime soon. What TAIMI has created here with their mix of dating service and social network, lays down the blueprint for where these apps are headed next. This positions TAIMI as a pioneer in their field. “There will always be users who want quick romances but the majority are looking for relationships that will last more than a minute,” the company says. “We wanted to give our users the simplicity associated with combining both dating and networking. Most importantly, users who download TAIMI will get the opportunity to create social profiles and connect with others on a different level. Being able to go from social network to dating app and both is something unique, something that is truly appreciated by TAIMI’s users.”

TAIMI are also fierce advocates for LGBTQ equality across the globe, investing in “multimedia campaigns, partnerships and volunteer projects aimed at changing the law and addressing discrimination on a global scale.” The company adds: “Recently, we sponsored a project by AZ Mag called I Am Here about the experiences queer people of colour face in their daily lives. In addition to that, TAIMI is avidly working towards partnerships with human rights organizations. In the past we have joined forces with UNAIDS and LGBT Foundation on their groundbreaking LGBTI Happiness Survey.” Their advocacy is focussed around positive representation, awareness and helping the progression of true social change.

So if you’re stepping into the future of online dating and social networking, what’s the best advice for creating a profile on TAIMI’s platform? We got TAIMI’s head of business development, Halyna Virt, to give us some tips. “The users have to remember that dating is just one part of the app, social networking aspect is actively growing and expanding. So, be open to discussions, post the latest news, interact with one another. Don’t be afraid to express yourself in your profile and stories and show your vision and ideas in your feed, we’re sure that you will find acceptance and support on TAIMI!” At the dawn of a new decade, there’s a new way to find meaningful connections that is ushering a more positive and bright era in online dating and social network.

TAIMI is available to download on the App Store and on Google Play.