🔓Single? This app offers virtual speed dating events

ORLANDO, Fla. – If you’re single and ready to mingle, you may want to try speed dating.

Filteroff is a dating app allowing singles to meet virtually for a minuteslong date.

“It was frustrating just swiping for hours and then when I finally met my dates oftentimes, they didn’t look like their photos, or we just didn’t have chemistry,” Filteroff founder Zach Schleien said.

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Schleien created his own dating app, Filteroff, providing a unique experience using a video-first strategy.

“It allows you to show off who you are as a person. It eliminates swipe, eliminates the superficial feel of profile and perfect photos,” Schleien said.

Here’s how it works: First you download the app or login to the website. Answer a few questions about yourself, then choose your preferences for your potential dates. If you choose to participate in a speed-dating event, you’ll be matched based off your preferences. The app also offers a free matchmaking service.

“It gives you four matches a day so you can date on your own time,” Schleien said.

The catch?

Dates only last a few minutes. Schleien said that’s plenty of time to figure out whether there’s a connection or not.

Filteroff was created in February 2020. Schleien said some people weren’t interested in the video-first concept, until the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

“The pandemic has changed everything overnight. We saw this disconnect where people felt lonely and wanted to connect,” Schleien said.

The app attracted a large number of singles to sign up, including 32-year-old Richard Schmitz.

“It was a great way to talk to potential dates and meet people and friends and video chat. To not feel so isolated while I was in quarantine,” Schmitz said. “I have met some people through Filteroff. It took some of the pressure off. I didn’t worry about being catfished because we were on a video chat.”

Schmitz said after the minuteslong speed date, the app automatically stops the video and asks each person if they want to connect again. If both participants answer yes, the app will allow the two to message each other and set up additional video chats.

Filteroff is hosting a “Daytona 500 Singles” speed dating event Sunday, Feb. 13, from 8 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. The virtual event is free.

Schmitz said he’s had some good experiences on his speed dates, and some not ideal.

“I’ve had a few calls where people are cooking, multi-tasking, holding a baby and obviously, that’s a no. Just take the five minutes out of your day and be present on the app like you would any first date,” Schmitz said.

While he hasn’t found love on a dating app yet, Schmitz said he has been able to make friends through Filteroff speed dating events.

So far, Filteroff has hosted nearly 7,000 virtual speed-dating events and claims some connections have led to marriage.

If you’re wondering about safety, the founder of Filteroff said the video chats are encrypted from beginning to end and has several reporting features.