Online Dating

ParshipMeet Group, parent company for popular dating apps like eHarmony, MeetMe and Skout, has started preparations for its initial public offering, notably on the heels of Bumble going public earlier this year.

According to Reuters, ParshipMeet Group’s IPO is scheduled for the first half of 2022, but there is some speculation that it may be pushed back in light of Bumble’s falling stock price in recent weeks. ParshipMeet is estimated to be worth upward of $4.1 billion, based on its core earnings, and the company reported revenues of 280 million euros for the first half of the year, up 19 percent.

ParshipMeet is 43 percent owned by General Atlantic and 53 percent by German broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 Media. These co-owners have begun to invite banks to help organize the initial public offering, but the company has not confirmed who they have invited or begun working with.

Image: Happn

Happn, one of the most popular dating apps, is launching new voice features to help its users better connect.

According to India TV News, the new features will be rolled out globally over the next few weeks. One of the new features allows users to add an audio note up to two minutes long in their profile, so that other users can get an idea of their personality from their voice. Happn is also rolling out an audio chat feature that allows people who match to talk with each other directly over the app. 

The third audio feature is audio feed, where Happn will offer a feed of profiles in which users will be able to hear the voices of potential matches before seeing the rest of their profiles (like their photos, bios, etc.) – emphasizing the importance of the connection someone feels to a person’s voice, instead of just viewing their photos or interests. It’s an intriguing new way for users to assess their matches.

As people return to the office after a year and a half of working from home, Tinder has launched its revamped “Work Mode” feature so users can swipe discreetly. 

Work Mode allows you to use your desktop to search for matches, disguising the dating app as a project management tool so you can inconspicuously go through profiles while looking like you are working, in case your boss or a co-worker stops by your desk. You can access Work Mode by going to Tinder.com and logging in to the desktop platform. From there, you can choose the briefcase icon at the top right corner of the page, which switches the normal screen to the decoy. 

Work Mode looks like a Google doc page with a menu at the top. The left side of the page contains a header that says: “Meeting Agenda” with some dating tips disguised as bullet points, with advice like “arrive early” and “buy first round of drinks.” On the left side of the page, there’s a chart with the headline “statistical analysis” with a generic line graph.

According to Mashable, users can not only swipe, but message their matches while using this feature, which is a new addition in the relaunch. Users can connect their profiles from their work computers and reply to messages discreetly or search for matches, simply by clicking on the briefcase to toggle back and forth from the decoy screen to see your matches. 

WooPlus Facebook Login Issues

Members of dating app WooPlus who use Facebook logins to access their accounts recently got shut out, creating a huge problem the company wasn’t able to address in a timely manner. As a result, WooPlus is considering ditching Facebook altogether from its login options.

Almost 1.5 million members of the popular dating app for curvy people weren’t able to login to their accounts via Facebook, a typical way for dating app platforms to be able to verify members. The company said that Facebook had failed to notify them in advance that they planned to lock out these users and didn’t offer a reasonable explanation for doing so.

Some WooPlus members said that they were forced to set up new accounts without using Facebook to login to the app, but that they weren’t able to access any of their old account information, messages or matches, causing even more frustration. Others said this wasn’t the first time Facebook booted them out.

Image: OkCupid

OkCupid has introduced a new “pro-choice” badge for users to add to their profiles, a signal to let others know they oppose the new Texas law restricting abortions in the lone star state. The company also said they would donate a dollar per badge to Planned Parenthood, up to $50,000 total on behalf of users who add the badge.

The badge is similar to other politically inspired badges OkCupid has rolled out over the years, including ones for Black Lives Matter, Voting and Vaccination status. It will appear directly below the bio (name, age, location) making it visible to anyone who’s swiping.

According to The New York Times, the new badge was created in response to the passage of Senate Bill 8 in Texas, which has essentially outlawed all abortions past six weeks, before most women even know they are pregnant. The new legislation won’t be enforced by public officials, however. Rather, it empowers anyone, in or outside the state, to sue a person who is getting an abortion or who is involved or considering helping someone get an abortion, including doctors, nurses, family members, or even the person who drives the patient to the clinic. Critics have likened it to a vigilante state, aimed at targeting vulnerable women.

Tinder CEO Renate Nyborg

Tinder announced that Renate Nyborg will be taking over as the company’s CEO as Jim Lanzone departs to serve as Yahoo’s new chief executive officer.

The news, announced Friday September 10th, means that Nyborg will be the first female executive to head the popular dating platform. She joined Tinder in 2020 as the general manager of Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Nyborg’s background is in growing mobile and subscription business, according to the company’s press release. She previously worked for Headspace, where she built the company’s first international product and marketing divisions.