This Online Dating Newbie Is A Spam Filter For Your Love Life
A mass of users doesn't necessarily make a dating app effective for finding love. Now that so many online dating giants are merging, it's time to take a closer look at what it takes to find love online.
The key to finding love is not in numbers, it's all about where you look.
After watching Tinder have a public meltdown on Twitter over a recent Vanity Fair article titled “Tinder and the Dawn of the Dating Apocalypse”, we have to wonder why they felt the need to convince the world that Tinder was designed for meaningful connections instead of embracing what their commonly accepted reputation for being a hookup app.
Besides, now that Match bought PlentyofFish for $575 million and already owns Tinder and OKcupid, they seem to be on their way to monopolizing a huge portion of the online dating industry.
But a mass of users isn't what makes a dating app effective. Any woman could tell you she gets flooded with messages the minute she creates a new POF profile, but it doesn't necessarily bring her any closer to finding love.
From unsolicited penis pics to Stage 5 clingers, online dating makes you wonder if there are any normal singles left. You ask for “athletic, educated, boyfriend material” and instead, get a message from Rico asking whether you can eat a banana in one bite. No thanks.
The issue with online dating is two-fold:
- Women say they get bombarded with creepy messages, causing any potential "good guys" to fall through the cracks.
- Likewise, guys say they don't receive responses from the women they like. That’s probably because guys like Rico get to her first and ruin it for everyone. In short, good guys don’t get a fair shot despite how much they have to offer.
There are plenty of apps for short-term fun. The tricky part is finding a relationship.
So how exactly do quality people find each other? Many dating apps have tried to solve this, with concepts that range from comical to bizarre – we’ve seen everything from 2 Truths 1 Lie to Purrsonals to Gluten Free Singles.
What's next - matching people based on their favourite type of salad?? Oh wait. That dating app already exists: SaladMatch.com.
Before you repeatedly slam your forehead against the nearest wall in frustration, there is a new kid on the block that will make you want to hug a tree.
Introducing the self-proclaimed anti-Tinder:
Neqtr helps you find love or friendship while saving the world. Not only is it an invitation-only relationship app, but applicants must demonstrate they have a positive passion in life – whether it’s socially conscious, health conscious or creative. Think of them as a spam filter for your love life.
Through their 50+ non-profit and community partners, a typical date might involve volunteering at animal shelter, planting trees, or taking a yoga class together.
The newbie has already been featured in Inc Magazine and on Tech Crunch radio. And unlike most dating app giants, Neqtr is founded by a woman based on what women want from relationships. They hope to create a “conscious love movement” by uniting people, for love or friendship, over positive causes.
Members are allowed to flag others for explicit or abusive comments. The idea is to filter out the binge drinking, selfie-obsessed partiers of the world.
On a fundamental level, finding a long-lasting love isn’t about quantity, it’s about putting yourself in the same place where the quality ones are. So if you want love, stop putting yourself in the same places as the Ricos of the world.
It’s tough not to be jaded by dating apps these days, but a spam filter for your love life just might help.
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