While dating apps and websites have given the world progressive, digitally adapted ways to find love, they have also popularized concepts like ghosting, talk stages, and catfishing. These terms are currently plaguing younger generations navigating the minefield of modern dating.
With the COVID-19 pandemic pushing everyone into lockdown, online dating has become more popular as people turn to the internet for everything from groceries to romance. . By 2022, he said there will be more than 366 million people registered on dating apps worldwide, and what percentage of them would prefer dating apps to traditional forms of finding love. .
In Egypt, this trend has become more prevalent in recent years. However, the negative views held by some in Egyptian society about modern dating continue to cast a taboo over it.
However, online dating also has its own drawbacks. One of them is catfishing, or being duped by users with fake accounts. There are safety concerns with using these apps, especially for women, who say a higher percentage of women than men don’t think this is the safest way to meet someone.
In a region that follows more conservative social norms, the lack of privacy that comes with signing up for dating apps is a further problem, as there is always the chance of running into colleagues or family members. In the Middle East, this presents unique complications, especially for women, as dating is often only permitted within certain, often family-sanctioned, frameworks.
The Circle Editions is a digital platform that addresses these issues with a traditional twist on today’s modern dating habits.
Founded in 2023 by Dubai-based Lebanese native Jimmy Takieddin, the dating site is set to change the Arab dating game. Although it is a global platform, it mainly focuses on customers in Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Jordan.
The website has dated over 300 people and has a 96% success rate so far. This is calculated from the number of people who went on their second and his third date.
“There is a huge problem when meeting new people, especially in the context of dating,” Takieddin said. “So people now rely on dating apps to meet and find each other, and they do all the swiping and texting. Then they become ghosts.” [a modern term meaning an unannounced withdrawal of contact]. It’s just a very long process. ”
“Dating apps have made men more insecure and less confident, and the same is true for women. [the romance]”
How does the website work?
To eradicate catfish, the scrutiny process applied when users sign up includes setting up a video call between a member of The Circle Editions team and the person signing up to verify their individual identities. includes. Once a profile is set up, users are asked a series of questions in order for the platform’s artificial intelligence (AI) to better understand a person’s personality and match them accordingly.
The AI then finds you as a match and, based on the information you enter into the system, generates a fun story to send to your match. And vice versa. If both parties agree or accept the match, dates with suggested locations are suggested based on both parties’ preferences.
Once a woman approves a match, a proposed date is generated for you to decide when and where you would like to meet with a potential suitor, after which an invitation to your calendar is emailed to you. Once the application is published, email invitations to the calendar are no longer required.
After the date ends, both users will be sent a feedback request to rate the date. For women, there are additional requirements that gauge the level of chivalry in men.
“Girls get another question, ‘How was he a gentleman?'” explains Takieddin. “We’ve added a Gentleman Score to encourage men to be more chivalrous. We want the boys to leave a great Gentleman Score.”
I fall in love
Unlike more widespread forms of dating platforms, The Circle Editions skips what is known as the “conversation phase,” a period of virtual conversation that is part of modern dating.
Scroll through Instagram and you’ll find tons of reels teasing the tedious process of the conversation stage. There, a person spends weeks or months conversing with another person, and relationships rarely materialize.
Circle Editions allow users to meet in person instead of chatting on your website, so you’re ready for potential connections. The goal is to relieve the tension by having the two users meet on a date that is mutually convenient.
“Now people love the idea of reading a story about someone and then going to meet them,” Takidin elaborates.
With online dating, the long process of scrutinizing profiles, conversing for weeks and months, and finally not meeting, makes natural encounters obsolete. Born out of a need to give romantics a chance to fight in love, The Circle Editions aims to ignite the first spark through shared ideals, activities and tastes.
“It’s manual at the moment, so until you say yes or no, we’ll send you one match. When you say yes, we want you to complete the cycle,” Takieddin explains. “If you say no, we will send you another match.
Taking into account personality, religious beliefs, all the factors that are considered important in making a genuine connection with the right person, this website caters to the needs of people looking for a serious relationship. When looking for a suitable mate, we focus on your religious and cultural background to increase your chances of long-term compatibility.
“So when you enter your match request, just say you’re looking for a Muslim person,” explains Takieddin. “The system only fits that criteria because he is one of the key items and the rest are more flexible.”
Each member has an account manager who facilitates the process. However, once the app is published, the AI will take over.
Another advantage of this platform is that users can find a match in a privacy and secure environment. This dating platform is conscious of local social and cultural nuances as it sets users up by opting out of swipe functionality and assessing compatibility.
When a match is generated, women are sent the match proposal first and are given priority for approval. This is to avoid being matched with colleagues or partners of hers who do not want her to know that she is using her dating platform. At this time, the user’s workplace is cross-checked by a team representative. However, it will eventually come to fruition with the help of her AI through her LinkedIn.
“Lack of privacy is an important issue,” Takidin added. [aspect] Because Middle Eastern women don’t mind being swiped for fear of their colleagues being there. [on the dating apps], or her cousin, brother, or whoever. ”
The Circle Editions is a platform that aims to move from the casual dating format synonymous with online dating to one that encourages a more authentic dynamic among its users. The founders added that this is just the first edition of the platform and that it will eventually expand to include several other editions for working relationships and friendships.
The Circle Editions is now a website and an app is due to be released in September.
Visit the website and find The Circle Editions.
