Tinder brings blind dates to its Explore section

Tinder has launched a new feature that could bring back memories of dating in the pre-smartphone era. It's a new Fast Chat experience called Blind Date that pairs members before allowing them to view each other's profiles. Tinder says its purpose is to give users a "low-pressure way to put their personality first," since they'll have to rely on conversation to make a first impression. 

The mode, which was perhaps partly inspired by the popularity of Netflix dating show Love is Blind, pairs people up based on their answers to random icebreaker questions, such as "I put ketchup on ____." Participants then enter a timed chat with their only knowledge of each other being their answers to those questions. If they end up matching after the timer runs out, their profiles will be revealed to each other. 

Tinder says members who used Blind Date made 40 percent more matches than those using another Fast Chat feature with visible profiles in an early test. It could be a great way to meet new people a user might have otherwise ignored. But it could also be a brutal experience, as there's also the risk of getting ghosted and rejected once profiles and looks are revealed — users can always choose to get paired with someone new.

The dating app's new Blind Date feature is now available in Explore in the US and will eventually make its way to users around the world. 

from Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics https://ift.tt/IFHCoEp