Match App Debuts Vibe Check Video Feature
Contributed by: kellyseal on Wednesday, September 23 2020 @ 09:32 am
Last modified on Wednesday, September 23 2020 @ 09:34 am
Dating app Match has debuted a new feature called Vibe Check in April, allowing users to connect instantly via in-app video chat.
The Vibe Check icon appears when two people like one another or start messaging each other and after each agrees to the terms and conditions of Vibe Check, according to Match[*1] . When they are in the messaging center, they can select the video icon on the top right corner of the screen, which gives them the option of starting a live video chat with that match right away. Their match can either accept the invitation and begin chatting, or they can decline if it’s not a good time.
If someone breaks the code of conduct rules (harassment, nudity, etc.), it’s up to the other user to report them and Match will block that user from being able to contact them again. Users can tap on the Report button on the bottom left corner of the screen which immediately ends the call and blocks that user from being able to see or call you. The person reporting will then be prompted to provide details to customer service. If you want to report after the call, you can go to that member’s profile and select “report.” It’s unclear whether reported users will be banned from the app itself, or just from contacting the person who reported them.
Match users also have the option of getting push notifications to see if anyone is trying to Vibe Check with them. They can opt in or opt out of this feature.
Since lockdowns began in March in the wake of the coronavirus, dating apps have seen a spike in both subscribers and in activity. Many have rushed to add in-app video chat features, hoping to keep people from leaving to talk with each other over third party apps. So far, Match Group, parent company of Match and other popular apps like Tinder, OkCupid, Hinge and Plenty of Fish, has added in-app video chat features to all of these apps this year. On Plenty of Fish, users can even create or participate in livestreams.
Match CEO Hesam Hosseini told The Dallas Morning News[*2] that the company was able to launch Vibe Check in just four weeks. Prior to COVID, he said there wasn’t much interest among dating app users to video chat, but now things have changed, and he thinks this new dating app trend is here to stay.
He added: “I think singles will find post-COVID-19 that video can be a very effective way to see if there’s chemistry with someone before getting out there and going through all the motions of having a date.”
There is no time limit while you are using Vibe Check, and it’s free of charge for all Match users.