New Hope, Pa. (Black PRWire) – The Meet Group, Inc., a leading provider of interactive livestreaming solutions, has created two new features designed to help users connect while maintaining proper dating distance on its popular mobile application, Tagged — a dating app primarily focused on African Americans.

The two features, Blind Date and 1:1 video chat, are designed to provide socially distant users with options to engage and build new relationships.

Blind Date allows users to meet and date streamers through a timed video chat based on personality rather than looks. The streaming host can hear but not see the contestant.

As the mini-date progresses, the contestant’s video becomes less blurred and more clear. The contestant is revealed when time runs out or after the host decides it’s a match and taps the “date” option. The feature is a new mode of the company’s NextDate dating game.

The company also plans to enable 1:1 video chat on Tagged as an alternative to meeting in person.

“Meeting in person is no longer safe for large swaths of the world,” said Geoff Cook, CEO of The Meet Group. “We have reminded our users that in-person dating is not essential and that social distancing is important. These video dating features, we hope, will help people find support, connection, and love in these uncertain times.

“There are more than 95,000 NextDate dating games played each day on our apps, and more than one million people either watch or livestream on our video platform every day,” added Cook.

“Since the start of the pandemic, time spent in video has increased by 39%. As the social distancing timeline is extended, we are accelerating the launch of video dating products across our portfolio of dating apps.”

The company expects to roll out Blind Date and 1:1 video chat to Tagged users over the coming weeks.