A new U.S.-based online dating app called Hinge has launched in Toronto, that only introduces users with friends of friends.
Dubbed a "classier" version of Tinder 鈥� the ultra-popular dating app where users can quickly swipe through dozens of dating profiles -- Hinge only connects users with each other if they have mutual friends or acquaintances.
The company claims that by working with this smaller, limited pool of potential partners, it鈥檚 brought back an element of authenticity to the world of online dating.
"Hinge is all about bringing (online) dating back to reality," Director of Marketing Karen Fein told CTVNews.ca in a phone interview.
"You shouldn't have to turn your love life into a science experiment or fill out incredibly long profiles that read like personal ads... we believe that it should be easier to meet people naturally."
Like other apps, Hinge is linked to a user's Facebook profile. Users are then provided with a daily list of other users with whom they are loosely connected to through mutual friends or acquaintances.
If two users show interest in each other, they are given access to begin messaging each other. From there, they can take their interactions offline, if they wish.
Fein said the overall experience is the virtual equivalent to meeting a friend of a friend at a party.
"People are really craving a more natural way to meet someone鈥� Everyone would really prefer to meet someone through friends," she said.
And while other apps use the GPS devices in smartphones to connect people who are physically close to each other, Hinge seeks to connect people who are "socially" close to each other -- be it through friends, career or similar interests.
"We believe that this is a better way to find someone with whom you share a lot in common," she said.
Another key difference with Hinge compared to other apps, is that users are only provided with a limited number of potential partners per day. Fein said that this was done expressly by the company to reflect the real world, where people have limited time to devote to dating.
"Instead of a swiping game where you're basically swiping in your PJs all night, we're focused on showing you up to 20 people per day who we think are really relevant for you," she said.
Being proactive
In recent years there has been a rise in online dating apps catering to individuals looking for different types of relationships, from hook-ups to long-term relationships.
Toronto-based psychotherapist and relationship expert Kimberly Moffitt says one of the reasons why dating apps have become so popular is because they allow users to take some control over their own dating lives.
"Our society is realizing that we're not living in the dating dark ages anymore, we don't have to wait for the local barnyard dance to find love. We can actually take matters into our own hands,鈥� she said.
Moffit added that it's not so much having one specific app that's key to finding a partner, but rather having the right attitude.
"The more we put ourselves out there for love, the more likely we are to have results, no matter in what capacity that is," she said. "You just have to be looking for the opportunities to find love.鈥�
