BUSINESSWIRE - July 9 - The Meet Group,a leading provider of interactive dating solutions, announced the formation of its Safer Dating Advisory Board comprised of top epidemiologists and health experts to consult on dating products, provide safer dating guidance, as well as help shape the company's response to the novel coronavirus amid the ongoing pandemic. "I look forward to working with Doctors Hazra, Elfassy, and Sharp to pass on sound information to our millions of dating app users," said Geoff Cook, CEO of The Meet Group.
THE NATIONAL HERALD - July 9 - Agape Match CEO Maria Avgitidis, best known as Matchmaker Maria, has announced the debut this week of the first three episodes of her new podcast titled Ask a Matchmaker. The podcast immediately hit the top 20 relationship podcast charts upon announcement at #16 in the USA and #1 in Greece, according to Chartable, a podcast measurement company. Each week, Avgitidis and her special guest answer dating and relationship questions in front of a live (virtual) audience. The origins of Ask a Matchmaker began on Instagram. The Ask a Matchmaker podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher. To attend a live show or submit a dating question, visit askamatchmaker.com.
OPW - July 11 - After 5 years, we've decided to blow the dust off the old Social Networking Watch blog, rebrand and refocus it. Social Networking Watch was started in 2006 and ran alongside Online Personals Watch. We will now focus it in on Online Social Communities. We're also starting the Online Social Community Association as a free to join community for leaders of online social communities. See www.OSCA.gp. - Mark Brooks, President IDEA.gp (and OSCA.gp)
CHEDDAR - July 9 - "The goal of The Meet Group products is to make everyone the star of their own dating show."
"The age of shallow swiping apps is kinda over and people are getting more and more demanding of video."
"In the early days we advised people not to meet in person. Now it's uneven. Today we formed a safer dating board, to council us so we could provide good tips to our users. Scientifically sound tips."
REUTERS - July 9 - China's biggest gay dating app's owner BlueCity is focused on expanding in Asia, its founder said after it made its Nasdaq debut despite a U.S. securities regulator warning against investments in Chinese firms. BlueCity, which says its Blued app already has the largest market share in China, India, South Korea and Vietnam, raised $84.8M in an IPO which valued the Beijing-based company at $614M. Blued claims 49M registered users in 210 countries, and 6M monthly active users (MAUs), 49% of them outside China.
OPW - July 9 - Here's the video from the IDEA Webinar on June 24th. RealMe and Spectrum Labs executives explain three use-cases for how their new combined service, CheckPlus, improves your Internet dating service.
According to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, romance scams were responsible for over $200 million in losses during 2019, up 19% from 2018. This unfortunate trend is showing no signs of slowing down, highlighting the critical need for increased vigilance from online dating service operators.
RealMe and Spectrum Labs have partnered to develop CheckPlus, a comprehensive fraud-prevention service to increase safety and security for users. Neil Davis, Chief Business Officer of RealMe, and Lee Davis, Vice President of Spectrum Labs, discuss the application of CheckPlus using three case studies in the latest IDEA webinar, hosted by Mark Brooks.
TECH CRUNCH - July 7 - Tinder will begin to test video chat with some members in select worldwide markets, including in the U.S. The feature, which allows Tinder matches to go on "virtual" dates when both opt in, will first be available to users in Virginia, Illinois, Georgia and Colorado in the U.S., as well as in Brazil, Australia, Spain, Italy, France, Vietnam, Indonesia, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Peru and Chile. The new feature is simple to use. Once two people have matched and are chatting in the app, they can indicate they’re ready to move to a video session by tapping the new video icon. How exactly Tinder plans to properly moderate what appears to be a fantastic new solicitation platform remains less clear.
NY POST - July 7 - People who believe they have a "type" are fooling themselves, according to social psychology researchers who say that singles "might as well let a stranger pick their dates." This is because most people are looking for more general positive qualities in a love interest, such as "kind" and "intelligent" personalities, the researchers from University of California, Davis, write.
PRESS.AT - July 7 - eharmony has seen its app registration figures increase by 85% YOY in the UK during lockdown – in the period between January and June 2020. Driving this increase has been the success of Video Date, which enabled singles to keep connecting romantically during lockdown and beyond.
STAR OBSERVER - July 7 - Last week, Chines gay dating app Blued revealed that it plans to raise ~$85M in an IPO of American Depositary Shares (ADS). The IPO scheduled to hit the market on Wednesday July 8 is planning to sell 5.3M ADS at a price of $15-$17 per ADS. The app claims ~49M registered users. For comparison, Grindr has ~27M users and Tinder ~57M users around the world. Blued said it was planning to use the IPO proceeds for geographic expansion, investment in technology and development, AI and big data capacity.
PR NEWSWIRE - July 7 - MeetMe, Tagged, Skout, GROWLr and LOVOO users will receive a free 60-day subscription to UrSafe's premium safety Features. UrSafe is a hands-free, voice-activated personal safety app fully integrated with 911.
REUTERS - July 7 - Grindr was approved for a $1M to $2M loan for small businesses suffering from the coronavirus outbreak. China's Beijing Kunlun Tech sold Grindr last month to an investor group called San Vicente Acquisition, after the U.S. government ordered the divestment amid concerns over the safety of personal data stored in the app. Grindr generated net profit of ~$31M in 2019, according to Kunlun's annual report.
MUZMATCH - July 7 - Dating app Muzmatch has just crossed the 3M member mark. Founded by an ex-Morgan Stanley banker, the app caters to Muslims who are looking to find a partner to marry.
REALITY TEA - July 7 - Dating app S'More has recently started a weekly show called S'More Live Happy Hour, which includes interviews with celebs and reality stars dishing on dating stories, playing hilarious games, and spilling some tea. Reality Tea will cover the recently published and upcoming episodes. So far, S'More has talked with Sutton Stracke from Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Love is Blind cast member Kelly Chase, Summer House star Carl Radke, Below Deck alum Ashton Pienaar, Real Housewives of New York alum Barbara Kavovit, former RHOBH cast member Eden Sassoon, Big Brother alum Rachel Reilly, and more.
