Due to the pandemic, even those most hesitant to enter the video chatting world have become regular users. Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Skype have all become staples in our lives making work, events and socializing safe and easy, so it was only a matter of time before the process was applied to dating.
Filteroff, which launched in the summer of 2020, is a speed dating app that lets you attend events and go on a series of three-minute dates all form the comfort of your own home.
“As an avid online dater who used all the swipe apps, I was pretty dissatisfied to spend the amount of time I was spending swiping for hours,” says Filteroff founder Zach Schleien. “Then if I get a match sometimes the match would go nowhere or if we did meet sometimes they didn’t look like their photos or we just didn’t have chemistry.”
Schleien’s fix was to start asking his potential dates if they would mind video chatting first before going on a face-to-face date.
“This was way before the pandemic,” he says, “so most said no, they thought it was weird. But the ones who said yes, it made all the difference in the world. I was able to see if we had chemistry, it was quick, I didn’t have to meet them in a bar until I actually felt connected to them. And I wanted to create a culture where singles can connect on video first and then make it the norm.”
The pandemic not only made video chatting the norm but it became many peoples sole way to stay connected.
“For the culture, it changed overnight,” Schleien says. “Prior to the pandemic some people thought video chatting was weird, now you seem weird if you won’t video chat. In terms of the pandemic, people were super disconnected and feeling super lonely, so I saw Filteroff as this way to give people human connection. That was really cool to do during the pandemic and continue doing that to this day.”
Filteroff is available on Android, iOS and web, and offer two types of dating. The first is speed dating through a scheduled event.
“An event can be a location-based event, it could be a gay and lesbian night, or it could be like a festival,” Schleien says. “Once you RSVP for that event, Filteroff will ask you to confirm an hour before the event and then we schedule all your dates.”
Filteroff will schedule you for up to 10 three-minute dates for that event where you will get to meet the person, chat and play some icebreaker games to see if there is chemistry.
“Once the date concludes you will be asked if you like each other and then you go on to the next date,” Schleien says. “Then once the event ends you’ll see if you made any matches and then you can message each other or video chat for as long as you want.”
The second type of dating offered through Filteroff is through its matchmaking feature.
“So if you are not attending events or unable to make it to events or you just want more dates, your ‘matchmaker’ will deliver you four picks every day,” Schleien says. “These picks are curated based on your preferences with our proprietary algorithm and if you both end up liking each other we set you up in a chat.”
With the matchmaking feature, your one-on-one chats have a five day window meaning if you don’t schedule a video chat within that time, the curated picks expire.
“The goal is to actually go on a video chat,” Schleien says. “Again, it creates that culture of you meet someone, you jump on a video call. That’s really what the app is all about.”
Whether you head off to a virtual event or you opt just to let your matchmaker make picks for you, Filteroff will match you based on the preferences and dealbreakers listed in your profile. Currently the app only has the option to select MALE, FEMALE OR OTHER under gender identity and MALE, FEMALE OR BOTH for interested in.
“Those are the options right now but we are going to be rolling out more gender identities,” Schleien says. “For us it is really important for all people to feel included using Filteroff so that is something we are going to be rolling out in the next few weeks.”
Your profile will also include general information, fun facts that you supply and photos; however, for speed dating events, your dates’ photos will be blurred.
“We will schedule you based off your preferences and dealbreakers,” Schleien says. “So you will see their bio, fun facts and such but the photos are blurred before the date. And the dates are quick so if it’s a fit you can always chat with them afterwards. For the daily picks, we send you their profile and you can see their photos, you see their fun facts and you choose if you are interested and if they are interested then we set you up on a video chat.”
Another feature of the app allows communities and nonprofits to host their own Filteroff events.
“It is totally free to create your own event in the app,” Schleien says. “It’s an awesome way to grow your audience, give them a fun activity and you can even sell tickets. It can be a free event or you can sell tickets. It’s another way for nonprofits to generate revenue.”
Filteroff has been available for nearly two years and Schleien says the number of users logged into the app continues to grow.
“Our goal is to bring likeminded people together and support communities,” he says, “and it is working.”
Filteroff is available to download now for both Android and iOS. For more information, go to GetFilteroff.com.
