Close Ad

This 'Slow-Dating' App Wants to Fight the Superficiality of Online Dating and Foster Meaningful Relationships
once dating app
Dating

This 'Slow-Dating' App Wants to Fight the Superficiality of Online Dating and Foster Meaningful Relationships

Are you looking for a deep, meaningful romantic relationship? Are you sick of endless swiping and empty hookups? You’re not alone.

According to a survey led by dating app Once, 40% of dating app users are experiencing “swipe fatigue” because mainstream apps are “superficial, geared towards casual relationships and don’t have adequate safety features.”


Once is a “slow-dating” platform for singles seeking more depth, and it just launched in the U.S., disrupting the likes of Tinder and Bumble with unique features that aim to combat catfishing, favor authentic connections and prioritize the safety of women.

So what exactly does slow dating entail? Once is named after the fact that once you match with someone -- the AI-driven algorithm selects a high-quality match tailored to your preferences every day at noon -- you’re only able to talk to that one person for the next 24 hours. Quite a big deterrent for people looking for spontaneous 3 a.m. hookups.

using-the-once-dating-app

“I am a true believer in technology helping you gain time, and making you more efficient with your life,” said CEO and co-founder Jean Meyer. “And the slow-dating movement starts from there.” According to him, one of the biggest problems of the dating industry is that dating is considered a volume game, and users are expected to swipe through hundreds of potential suitors in the hopes of meeting one decent person -- let alone the partner of their dreams.

RELATED: What to Do When You’re in a Toxic Relationship 

And speaking of decent matches, any woman who has ever been on a dating app has most likely received unwarranted, inappropriate messages from men, or, even worse, experienced scary behavior on a date.

On Once, women are able to rate their dates in the same way that they would give a rating to their Uber driver or AirBnb host. And both women and men can give each other ratings based on whether their date’s profile matched the person in real life, which helps avoid catfishing and encourage authenticity.

Rating people sounds awfully like an episode of Black Mirror, but, according to Meyer, the users have been very receptive to the concept and are not abusing the feature, which is meant to weed out dangerous behavior and highlight men’s positive personality traits -- not gratuitously give negative feedback based on subjective criteria.

“If you’re a nice guy and there was no chemistry, the woman [is unlikely] to give you a one-star rating,” he said.

“Be honest and be genuine, and you will be part of the many e-mails that we receive every day from people thanking us for helping them find love.”

Hot Stories

Leonardo DiCaprio Told Kate Winslet To “Let The Fat Girl Thing Go”
Leo Dicaprio Told Kate Winslet To “Let The Fat Girl Thing Go” …

Forced to feel ashamed for her weight and appearance, Kate Winslet struggled with her body image for years. The media loved to tease her for being “the fat girl,” but there was ONE PERSON who saw the real her. What did Leo see in Kate? And what important message does Kate have for young women everywhere?


Keep ReadingShow less
Videos
Woman wearing a tie-dye shirt, two little kids holding a heartbreaking sign and two people holding hands.

Poor Boy Begs For Money to "Bury My Mama" With Heartbreaking Sign

Facebook/ Shannon Mount and Facebook/Jennifer Fife

A week ago, 11-year-old Kayden Ely experienced the devastating loss of his mother, Shannon Mount. Her unexpected passing didn't just leave Kayden and his four siblings without their mom, it also left the family in dire financial straits.

Desperate to raise funds for his mom's funeral, Kayden took to the streets of his small town in Georgia begging for help. For two days the heartbroken little boy stood next to the railroad tracks, holding a sign that read, "Please help me bury my mama!"

Keep ReadingShow less
Uplifting News
Man standing with two daughters, a black purse and a handwritten note (inset)

Grieving Daughter Finds Note In Fossil Purse While Thrifting

Courtesy Anna Harp and Courtesy of Abrielle Clausing (via People.com)

Thrifting can net all sorts of treasures. Shoppers can snatch up everything from vintage clothes to mid-century modern furniture to kitschy knick-knacks, all without breaking the bank.

But for one grieving woman, she found a hidden gem that was truly priceless.

Keep ReadingShow less
Uplifting News