Trust as a differentiator in the online dating world
One of Veriff’s newest clients is the dating app viida is life, which is set to launch in the new year. We spoke to co-founders Ashraf Elashiry and Harin Rhandawa about why creating a safe and trusted environment is a key USP for their vision of a better way of dating online.
Chris Hooper
Listen to full conversation with Ashraf and Harin now!
Viida is life (‘viida’) is the latest entrant to the crowded online dating marketplace, but one that already has a distinctive personality and set of values. Ashraf and Harin, who founded viida along with their business partner Leslie Nath, want to build a fun, fast, fresh way to meet people online, but one that treats safety and trust as a priority.
Ash is a self-confessed data geek and UX specialist, while Harin has a degree in psychology and has spent most of her career in insurance. Thanks to their professional backgrounds, they bring a strong understanding of the importance of creating a welcoming online environment and managing risk to their new enterprise.
A fun app born of frustration
Ash and Harin’s own experience of the trials and tribulations of online dating (they actually met on a dating app) are also integral to their vision.
“We were both, I guess, a little bit frustrated with dating apps, the experiences we’d had – especially you, Harin,” says Ashraf.
When Harin’s last relationship ended in 2020, she found herself single for the first time in years. Keen to meet new people, she turned to the online dating scene, but was disappointed with what she found.
“I went on Bumble and Hinge and Tinder and a whole lot of others,” says Harin. “What I realized was every one of them had a particular quirk about them. But essentially the foundations were the same. You put your profile on, you say what you want, and then you swipe left, right, swipe…”
Aside from finding the experience a little soulless, Harin also found the trustworthiness of app users an issue.
“You chat with somebody for a while and then a week, two weeks later you go on a date, and you realize, oh my god, the picture they put on was from 1985,” she says drily. “And it just, it became tired. You know, I mean, I've been stood up, I've had people send me abusive messages…”
Fortunately, she eventually met Ash, and the two have been a couple ever since. However, neither forgot their experiences in the world of online dating, and they saw many of their single friends suffering with the same issues.
“We realized that there's a common theme with everyone,” says Harin. “And the theme is that it's tiring, it's frustrating, it's demoralizing. You know, there are people out there who are catfishing, there are people out there who put up fake profiles…”
“And then we just said, hey, why don't we do something a little bit different?” says Ashraf.
Recognizing an opportunity, viida’s co-founders designed the app from the outset to offer users a better experience.
“It's a fun dating app,” says Harin. “It takes a lot of the toxicity and the fatigue that is in this whole space out. And it just brings back the fun and the excitement.”
“By partnering with Veriff, something that's very important with us, we’re making sure that there are no fake profiles, that everyone is validated, that we know who you are.”
Safety and trust as a USP
Viida has a fresh new concept, which is based around speed dating in small groups within live video chatrooms. But in creating an experience that’s fast and fun, its co-founders didn’t forget the less ‘sexy’ but equally important element of ensuring users are safe when interacting on the app.
“By partnering with Veriff, something that's very important with us, we’re making sure that there are no fake profiles, that everyone is validated, that we know who you are,” says Ash.
“We're verifying each and every single profile,” he continues. “Not all the dating apps are doing that, but that’s basically the essence of creating that community, making sure we know exactly who is behind that mobile device.”
“So, the person uploads a photo, and then they take a selfie, and we verify that person against the photo. We make sure that person is behind the device. That, to some degree, will eliminate catfishing.”
Viida will also have a range of measures to help make sure spending time on the app is an enjoyable experience for every user, including a zero-tolerance policy for inappropriate behaviour.
“What we also pride ourselves on in terms of the platform and how it will work is making sure that people want to stay on,” explains Ash. “So, zero tolerance for profanity, and we are going to have a support team that's investigating all customer complaints. In the app during the speed dating experience, you can actually press a panic button and report that person. And basically, two strikes, you're out.”
Finally, another important aspect of safety and security for dating apps is the need to securely store and manage significant amounts of personal data, something that viida will take very seriously.
“There's a lot of talk around that now, you know, is my data safe?” says Ash. “So again, we've got the controls in place to make sure the data is secure. We're making sure that if we do go into Europe, we follow the privacy laws. If you delete or pause your account, we’ll make sure that data is deleted from all our servers. So, we've kind of done our homework in that space.”
“I'm very confident that we’ve prioritized safety and verification,” says Harin. “I came into the app with lots of my own stories, my own experiences, which really helped in closing off all the gaps that needed to be closed off.”
If you’re interested in experiencing a fresh, fun, and above all safe approach to online dating, you can find out more about viida is life here.
More individuals are turning to online dating and dating apps to find their match. Discover how Veriff can help online dating providers ensure that they are keeping their users safe, and promoting trust across their platforms.
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