The COVID-19 pandemic has changed and challenged how people hook up and date. Because of the pandemic, monogamy has been the preferred dating choice by the general dating public. Stay-at-home directives, government-imposed social distancing measures, and other public health plans resulted in a significant shift towards Internet hookups.
This shift has drastically increased the number of hookups-site users and the amount of time individuals spend on these applications. According to dating platforms, users had 11% more swipes and 42% more matches in 2020, making last year the industry’s busiest year to date.
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Since hookup applications were created to help individuals connect with each other through the Internet and meet face-to-face, how have app organizations responded to the COVID-19 pandemic? And what are their roles in helping the public to adjust to the new dating reality?
Three ways, hookup applications have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic
Experts who study how Internet technology is changing relationships and dating noticed prompt responses from app organizations when lockdown procedures were introduced. From February to June, the industry looked at sixteen hookup applications, their social media platforms, as well as more comprehensive media coverage to understand their COVID-19 pandemic responses. Experts found that these platforms made significant efforts to shape how individuals date during the COVID-19 pandemic in three ways:
Communicating about health
Messages on these applications encouraged members to stop doing face-to-face meetups and engage with each other on the Internet. Some platforms sent their members direct messages while government service announcements showed up on different platforms’ screens.
Some apps told their users that meeting users can wait to disrupt the emphasis on quick dates. These platforms operated as public health promoters: members were invited to stay at home, practice social distancing, wash their hands for at least twenty seconds, and consult a physician if they had Coronavirus symptoms.
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Addressing isolation and loneliness
These platforms also tried to encourage community-building, as well as address feelings of fear and isolation. Some applications hosted online events like speed dating, dating advice sessions, and online concerts. On social media, hookup app organizations promoted self-care.
Some companies posted on their social media sites stating the importance of isolation without feeling isolated, and their company is always here to help users through it. These posts reflected the messages of help and support from organizations and individuals during the first couple of months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Making online hookups the new normal
Some platforms unlocked or created features to help facilitate online dating. More than just meeting through the application, virtual hookups took the form of different online activities, as well as exchanges that individuals could participate in while social distancing.
Many of these sites offer free video services and recommend their members connect through Zoom and other video-conferencing software, old-fashioned phone calls, or text messages. Some of these apps can also offer free passport features, which allow their members to geolocate themselves anywhere on the planet, encouraging them to connect with individuals around the world – while at the comfort of their homes.
The future of hookups
Hookup home page sites are reporting great success in the uptake of online dating. Platforms have found out that at least 30% of their users loved engaging in online activities, 25% liked video chats over face-to-face meetings, and 15% wanted to watch television shows or movies together over the Internet.
While it is excellent news for hookup sites, these organizations are also ready to get their members to meet face-to-face again. Some apps recently gave away free mail-in COVID-19 testing kits. These kits included a pair of tests: one for the member and one of their matches.
As the public moves into the next part of the COVID-19 crisis management, individuals looking to hook up will wonder what is next for them. If the government, community leaders, and health experts don’t step in with a straightforward protocol, the most prominent daters can receive may come from these companies.
And while hookup application firms should respond to the pandemic crisis compared to not doing anything, their efforts should not replace community-based and public initiatives that can offer individuals reliable and free help to address safety, loneliness, and health risks in these trying times.
