Mumbai, 2nd November: With happy hours, concerts, and coffee catch-ups becoming virtual by default over these past few months, our team had a lot of questions about how we could help our members get to know each other through in-app video. Would matches want to stream an entire season of that one series (you know the one, about a group of friends) together? While we don’t have the answers to all these questions yet, the only way to find out is by giving our community the chance to try it out.

One answer was clear when we were developing Face to Face, though: our Trust and Safety Team should build it. We prioritize safety in everything we do and understand that putting yourself out there and meeting new people requires a certain level of both control and comfort. So we built our feature with some thoughtful tweaks that help it stand out from your typical video experience. And no, you don’t have to worry about unwanted calls.

“We’re excited to share that our Face to Face//video chat feature is now available in India after receiving positive feedback from our members who have had early access to it,”  said Rory Kozoll, Head of Trust and Safety Product at Tinder. “We’re confident that opt-in video gives members a more authentic way to test out the chemistry they have with their match before making the decision to continue the conversation, whether that means keeping it digital or meeting safely IRL.”

Here’s how we designed 1:1 video calls, prioritizing control, and comfort along the way:

• We let you both decide when it’s time for video: Tinder pioneered how you can only chat once you’ve both liked each other. Just like matching, we want to make sure you're on the same page with video: so Face to Face is enabled on a match-by-match basis. Once the conversation is flowing and you’re ready to show you’re interested in a Face to Face, tap the video icon. The feature won’t be enabled until you’ve both opted in. And don’t worry: it doesn’t tell your match when you toggle it on.

• You can disable it at any time:  Just like you can enable the possibility of a Face to Face on a match-by-match basis, you can also toggle it off at any point. Not feeling like a video chat today? No problem.

• We set the stage: After Face to Face is unlocked, callers must agree to our ground rules so your chat can start on the right foot.

• You can see eye-to eye: No one should be put in the corner when it comes to getting to know a match. Conversation is a two-way street, and it’s better when you’re together 50/50. Plus, this helps you make sure you’re putting your best face forward with your match.

• We want to know how it goes: Once the call has ended, we’ll ask how it went. Remember: you can send a report to our team at any time once the call ends.

We recently surveyed our members in the US, and half of them have had a video date with a match off Tinder in the past month. Not only that, but 40 percent of Gen Z members wanted to continue using video as a way to decide whether to meet IRL in the future - even once their favorite date spot is open again**.

It’s clear that video is here to stay, and we’re excited to see what else we learn from our members. 

**Findings based on a survey of ~5,000 Tinder members in the US between May 6 and May 12, 2020