In-person dating has become increasingly difficult, even though the market is saturated with digital dating apps. Still, a Coffee Meets Bagel co-founder says that dating apps are not equipped to create genuine connections. Dawoon Kang told Cheddar that her dating site’s latest video feature may have the Midas Touch. “Video is a tool that we are using to enable our users to share about themselves in a fun, playful way,” she said. “People are not experiencing real connections on the app.” While Kang argues that some online daters aren’t that into these types of services, Pew Research reported that more people are using apps to find love. A 2016 report says that 41 percent of Americans know someone who dates online; and 29 percent know someone who has met a spouse or long-term partner digitally. The company swears by video to create a greater impact on its users. After testing the new feature, which presents subscribers with a daily question they would answer via video, Coffee Meets Bagel reported that 37 percent of participants were “taken” by other users. “We really want to have Coffee Meets Bagel to become a platform for real connections,” she said. “That starts with authentic sharing.”
