Facebook app ‘Sparked’ to bring kindness to dating

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Social
Posted 15 April, 2021

By Jamie Watts

London, UK

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In a ruthless age of dating, where potential suitors are mercilessly swiped by and matches routinely ghosted, Facebook is promoting a kind approach to speed-dating with its new app ‘Sparked.’

Getting into dating these days is easier than ever, thanks to a multitude of free apps such as Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge.

However, this level of convenience and boundless choice has brought with it a wave of unsavoury dating behaviours that can make the whole process daunting and emotionally taxing for the feint hearted.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpV9FjFSZA4

Dating during lockdown (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpV9FjFSZA4)

As an office with a fair amount of collective experience in the modern dating game, it’s no exaggeration when we say it can feel cutthroat.

One wrong move, whether it be inactivity, coming on too keen, a bad joke, or even an incorrect use of grammar, and you may find yourself on the digital scrapheap. Tinder vets will tell you to just dust yourself down and get on with it.

For the idealistic folk who want the benefits of digital dating without the palpable risk of being ghosted though, Facebook may just have the relaxed alternative you’ve longed for.

Dubbed ‘Sparked’ and developed by Facebook’s New Product Experimentation team, this app aims to take the perks of online dating while engendering a ‘kinder’ vibe than we’ve become accustomed to.

Though we’ve yet to hear a ton about Sparked, we know it will do away with swiping mechanics and direct messaging, instead focusing on face to face (cam to cam) interactions. Those who sign up will have to use their personal Facebook account, and get past an initial barrier which asks people what they believe makes them a ‘kind’ dater.

Those who successfully show their compassionate acumen – and are accepted by human reviewers – will then be privy to the app’s currently mysterious features. Initially, dating preferences (which seem pretty inclusive looking at the site) will need to be inputted and users can then start applying for four minute long speed dates.

If you and your date find you didn’t quite cover everything you wanted in that time to settle down together happily ever after, you can schedule in a second date for 10 minutes. Perhaps just exchange phone numbers or snaps after that, eh?

Those of you who keep up with social tech regularly are probably wondering what happened to Facebook’s last dating initiative Facebook Dating. Well, having rolled out in the US, most of Europe, and the UK, it seems Facebook now wants to appeal to those who can’t get on-board with the relentless game of dating, as well as those still engrossed in it.

Currently in its early beta phase, Sparked may soon arrive to change modern dating for the better. If it all sounds like too much of a hassle though, just keep on swiping!

Jamie Watts

Tech Editor London, UK

I’m Jamie (He/Him), the Deputy Editor and a Senior Writer at Thred. Keeping up with social media updates and revolutionary technology is my forte, but when away from my keyboard, you’ll probably find me wrapped around a large Tango ice blast at the latest mediocre horror flick. Follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn and drop me some ideas/feedback via email.

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