Dating apps in a post-pandemic world: an interview with Filter Off

Online dating has increased in popularity like no one could have predicted in 2020. Down to the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns introduced around the world, it was deemed no longer safe to meet up with others and go on first dates.

Instead of retreating into ourselves and shying away from human interaction, the world went online. Dating, therefore, became something done in the confines of the Tinder chat feature or through awkward Zoom calls. As a result of these changing times, dating apps have also been required to adapt and grow in order to thrive in the pandemic, and post-pandemic world.

Online dates have thrived during lockdown as people crave interaction and many people that have started using them would ordinarily have never even given them a thought. There are no two ways about it – online dating has helped to tackle loneliness during the pandemic.

Dating apps must once again learn to adapt to the changing times we are living in

Apps like Tinder and Bumble have seen conversations on their apps increase by up to 26% from mid-March when most countries went into lockdown.

As lockdown begins to ease and people are able to meet up for socially distanced dates, dating apps might find that online dating takes a nosedive as people are finally able to access the thing they crave the most through in-person interaction. As a result, dating apps must once again learn to adapt to the changing times we are living in.

One of the apps learning how to adapt to a different way of dating is Filter Off, founded in February 2020 by Zach Schleien to cater to a gap in the online dating market. Filter Off works slightly differently to other dating apps, involving people interacting through 90-second video calls to see whether they are compatible, before eventually meeting up in person. They also offer a more curated, matchmaking service through which the app uses an algorithm to set people up on three three-minute dates. We caught up with Zach to see how apps like his are coping with COVID-19.

This can often be a common criticism of dating apps

When it comes to dating apps, there is an abundance of different types available in the marketplace. Each one has its own niche and raison d’être, and Zach explained: “I’ve always been into dating apps and liked the idea of connecting people romantically with others outside of your friendship group but realised that it takes a lot of time from finding a match to actually going on a date and then realising that there is no spark which can be very frustrating.”

This can often be a common criticism of dating apps – they are notorious, particularly among students, for producing matches that are often incredibly incompatible and just based on looks alone. As students, we’re busy and don’t have time to go on date after date, especially if they don’t seem to be leading anywhere concrete. Zach commented that “everyone is busy and dating takes time. You don’t want to waste what little time you have so what Filter Off does is removes the stages between and all you need to do is show up to virtually arranged dates which work well for students as these are also free and very safe.”

Whilst The Boar has investigated the safety involved in online dating, there are many ways that we can stay safe when trying to find a match online. During the pandemic, this has changed somewhat as it is no longer possible for blooming couples to be able to meet up, especially in the early stages of lockdown.

Dating apps have provided comfort and connection to people across the world as loneliness struck

This is why dating apps like Filter Off have seen unprecedented popularity as lockdowns were introduced, with Zach confirming that “Filter Off has exploded into a global app during the pandemic. We now operate in cities around the world. Ultimately, the pandemic has proved that video is here to stay, and it has accelerated the culture of it being acceptable to date on video.”

Dating apps have provided comfort and connection to people across the world as loneliness struck once they were confined to the same four walls day in day out. Zach commented that “it’s become the norm to use video to recreate in-person interactions as video chatting is as authentic and efficient as possible.” Does this mean, therefore, that video dating is here to stay?

Across England over the past few months, our lockdown has been gradually eased and it is now possible to meet up at a social distance with people from other households which provides the opportunity for in-person dates for the online dating users that have been communicating virtually. This means that dating apps must once again learn to adapt to a changing world. When discussing the future of Filter Off, Zach said: “We aim to scale it up post-pandemic as there will always be dating apps but we want to think of Filter Off as a user experience that provides icebreakers and games to make dates as fun as possible.”

Dating apps are here to stay and websites like Filter Off have been forced to adapt

I have to say that I’ve always been a sceptic of online dating and apps like Tinder. After only encountering them through horror stories and jokes from friends, I questioned whether it was truly possible for people to form meaningful relationships without meeting and getting to the essence of a person.

However, throughout the course of the pandemic, I have realised how meaningful these apps can be in providing connection and comfort to those who suffer from loneliness or who just want to meet people. It’s become even clearer to me that dating apps are here to stay and websites like Filter Off have been forced to adapt to the pandemic but they’ve experienced unprecedented popularity. As the world around us changes, they must once again adapt to unforeseen circumstances but I’m confident that our age-old fascination with love and romance will keep the online dating business afloat.