Once, Europe’s leading slow dating app, which has recently launched in the United States, announced today that it will be donating 100% of its profits to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to data from the CDC, STD cases have raised dramatically, with an astounding 2.3 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis diagnosed in the United States in 2017, which surpassed the previous record in 2016 by more than 200,000 cases.
Lackluster funding for federal resources like the CDC contribute to the increase in STD cases, which is why Once has decided to donate its profits from in-app purchases and subscriptions for the next three months to the CDC so they can focus on STD prevention, health education campaigns, and make testing and treatment options more affordable. Another factor to this increase can be linked to dating apps, particularly those with a focus on swiping.
In a survey Once conducted to understand American millennials’ frustrations with dating, it found that nearly two thirds (63%) of its 1,500 participants are tired of apps that were based around swiping. Majority of those who are tired of swipe apps cited the reasons being that the people usually aren’t serious about dating and that these apps only encourage hookups/sex – which are leading to an increase in STDs.
“I would think that with all the open conversation about sex, sexuality, and the dangers of unprotected sex, STD cases would be decreasing, not increasing at alarming rates,” said Jean Meyer, Founder and co-CEO at Once. “Swipe dating apps are doing more harm than good, plain and simple. We need to bring dating back to what it used to be; focusing on one person at a time and making real connections. A lot of our users are millennials. When we are playing a part in this generation’s love lives and creating matches, we believe we have a duty of care to also ensure that we are creating and promoting a safe dating environment beyond the initial match – hence why we have introduced a rating and review feature, but now pledge to donate to the CDC to help fund awareness and prevention of STDs.”
Once recently launched in the United States in a bid to offer singletons a simple approach to dating that focuses on quality over quantity. It selects one match a day at noon for its some six million users worldwide, providing relief from the swipe culture and upping the chance of finding a suitable partner, not just a hookup. Once also allows women to rate and review a date, alerting other women to shady behavior or noting other things to be aware of before deciding to go on a date. Its goal is to have its users feel safe and secure during the dating process.
The Once app is free to download and is available on iOS and Android. Premium VIP upgrades are available to access more features. For more information and to get the app visit www.getonce.com
About Once:
Once launched in 2015 (2016 in the UK and Ireland), and is a slow dating app that focuses on quality over quantity, by picking the perfect match for you every day at noon! With more than six million users in nine countries, and twenty million matches each month, Once is the clear leader of serious mobile dating. Because finding true love takes time, Once offers meaningful matches in a world of countless swipes.
