Dating App 'Blume' Aims to Put a Stop to Catfishing
There's no shortage of dating apps on the market these days. We have Tinder, OkCupid, Badoo, Zoosk and countless others, but its rare for any of them to really offer anything new. Enter Blume, the new dating app hitting iOS with a rather appealing USP.
Most, if not all, of the previously available apps have one major flaw - Catfishing. For those who don't know, catfishing is a practice whereby online users falsely represent themselves as a fictional persona in order to lure unsuspecting victims into scams that prey on their need for a relationship, or at least companionship to some degree. These scams often target those who are already vulnerable, perhaps desperate, and can have a massive negative effect on both their bank balance and their state of mind.
Blume follows the same basic swiping format as Tinder and the others, but goes one step further to help assure you that those matches you make are genuine, and what you expect. After both interested parties have swiped left, the app calls for you to take a selfie using your front facing camera to be sent to your match for verification. They will, of course, be asked to do the same. These selfies are viewable for 7 seconds before disappearing, much like the way Snapchat operates. This provides an excellent vetting tool against catfish, as that dirty old man posing as a teen on Tinder will have to show his true face on Blume before you engage in conversation. When you do have a genuine match, the selfie system still serves a useful purpose. By requiring users to take a live selfie upon matching you are guaranteed to see an accurate representation of what that person looks like now, so no more getting fooled by old photos. The app requires you to take the selfie from within the app so you cant upload old or fake pictures from your camera roll.
Sadly, scamming people out of their hard earned funds isn't the only reason why some truly twisted individuals would pose as somebody else online. We are all aware of the dangers of meeting someone face-to-face who you have only previously communicated with over the internet. You can never really be sure who you are meeting, or what their objectives are. If Blume's selfie verification system can also help to limit the danger of abduction, assault or any other form of criminal activity by removing people's metaphorical masks, then I'm all for it.
In a recent statement, co-founder and CEO Daniel Delouya commented on the app: "Blume provides a safe environment where people can just relax and be themselves. Women, especially, tell us that for the first time ever they feel safe on a dating app by not having to worry about catfishing. That is why 65 percent of users who match actually initiate a conversation. Blume creates a platform where people can actually form authentic emotional relationships."
As it stands, the app is only available in iOS. For those Android users eager to try out the app, you can sign up on their homepage to be notified when the app is available to you. For now, have a little ganders at their promo video below.
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| Digital Trends |
Blume follows the same basic swiping format as Tinder and the others, but goes one step further to help assure you that those matches you make are genuine, and what you expect. After both interested parties have swiped left, the app calls for you to take a selfie using your front facing camera to be sent to your match for verification. They will, of course, be asked to do the same. These selfies are viewable for 7 seconds before disappearing, much like the way Snapchat operates. This provides an excellent vetting tool against catfish, as that dirty old man posing as a teen on Tinder will have to show his true face on Blume before you engage in conversation. When you do have a genuine match, the selfie system still serves a useful purpose. By requiring users to take a live selfie upon matching you are guaranteed to see an accurate representation of what that person looks like now, so no more getting fooled by old photos. The app requires you to take the selfie from within the app so you cant upload old or fake pictures from your camera roll.
Sadly, scamming people out of their hard earned funds isn't the only reason why some truly twisted individuals would pose as somebody else online. We are all aware of the dangers of meeting someone face-to-face who you have only previously communicated with over the internet. You can never really be sure who you are meeting, or what their objectives are. If Blume's selfie verification system can also help to limit the danger of abduction, assault or any other form of criminal activity by removing people's metaphorical masks, then I'm all for it.
In a recent statement, co-founder and CEO Daniel Delouya commented on the app: "Blume provides a safe environment where people can just relax and be themselves. Women, especially, tell us that for the first time ever they feel safe on a dating app by not having to worry about catfishing. That is why 65 percent of users who match actually initiate a conversation. Blume creates a platform where people can actually form authentic emotional relationships."
As it stands, the app is only available in iOS. For those Android users eager to try out the app, you can sign up on their homepage to be notified when the app is available to you. For now, have a little ganders at their promo video below.
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Dating App 'Blume' Aims to Put a Stop to Catfishing
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Rating:
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Rating:
Unknown
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