Tawkify

Tawkify is a dating website that uses human matchmakers instead of computer algorithms to select matches.[1] The matchmakers set people up on the phone (Tawkifies), on walks (Walkifies) and on Mystery Dates.[2]

Overview

Tawkify facilitates heterosexual and same-sex relationships in the United States and Canada.[3]

The site's most notable matchmaker is E. Jean Carroll (co-founder). The site also uses a robot, Mr. Brooks.[2] The site can use Klout scores to match users.[4] Registration may involve less than ten questions.[5] No user sees any photographs or personal information about any other user.[5] Users can choose to be matched by phone (a Tawkify), Mystery Date, or Walkify.[5]

Controversy: human versus algorithm

In the panel discussion Algorithms and MatchMaking: Dating in the Age of Digital held during Internet Week New York, disagreement arose between panelists Sam Yagan (co-founder of OkCupid) and Brian Schecter (co-founder of HowAboutWe.com) over the usefulness of algorithms in online dating.[6] Panelist Amarnath Thombre (Match.com Vice President of Strategy) said: "We've seen algorithms that are four to ten times better than random".[6] Panelist E. Jean Carroll (co-founder of Tawkify.com) explained Tawkify's position: "We take them [users] off the internet like that. They're not even allowed to sit around on the internet because that is time-wasting. ...Time well-spent is when you're with somebody or talking."[6] In an article on Tawkify in Gizmodo, Sam Biddle writes, "Is it so surprising that smart humans are at least as good at pairing up other humans as a computer?"[7]

Matching personalities

Users cannot see profiles or pictures of other users, which are reserved for matchmakers. In an article in The Globe and Mail, Tawkify co-founder Kenneth Shaw is reported saying, "We want people to meet by personality first".[5]

History

Tawkify co-founders are E. Jean Carroll and Kenneth Shaw.[8] E. Jean Carroll is the writer of Elle magazine's "Ask E. Jean" column,[9] Emmy Award nominee for writing for Saturday Night Live, television talk show host and author of four books.[10] According to The New York Times, "The two met years ago, when Ms. Carroll sought out Mr. Shaw...to help her design her own app".[2] The Tawkify website launched in January 2012. In January 2012 Tawkify was featured in The New York Observer's Betabeat blog.[11] In April 2012 Tawkify appeared in The New York Times.[2] In April 2012 Tawkify appeared on CNN.com.[12] In May 2012 E. Jean Carroll appeared in Internet Week New York, presented by Yahoo![13] In June 2012 Tawkify launched Mystery Date and Walkify.[5] In June 2012 Tawkify was featured in Gizmodo.[4] In July 2012 Tawkify Matchmaker Charlee Ziegler was interviewed by Michelle Skeen, PsyD, on her radio show Relationships 2.0.[14] In August 2012 Tawkify was featured in The Globe and Mail.[5] In August 2012 Tawkify appeared in The New York Post.[15]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Biddle, Sam. "The Best Dating Site You've Never Heard of Is Too Smart for Its Own Good", Gizmodo, 29 June 2012. Retrieved on 4 August 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Rosenbloom, Stephanie. "No Scrolling Required at New Dating Sites", New York Times, New York, 13 April 2012. Retrieved on 3 August 2012.
  3. ↑ Papamarko, Sofi. "Online dating with a traditional twist", The Globe and Mail, Toronto, 2 August 2012. Retrieved on August 4, 2012.
  4. 1 2 Biddle, Sam. "The Best Dating Site You've Never Heard of Is Too Smart for Its Own Good", Gizmodo, 29 June 2012. Retrieved on 3 August 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Papamarko, Sofi. "Tawkify: Online dating with a traditional twist", The Globe and Mail, Toronto, 2 October 2012. Retrieved on 3 August 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 [http://new.livestream.com/iwny/thursdaystage1/videos/1091367 "Algorithms and MatchMaking: Dating in the Age of Digital", Livestream, New York, May 14–21, 2012. Retrieved on 4 August 2012.
  7. ↑ Biddle, Sam. "The Best Dating Site You've Never Heard of Is Too Smart for Its Own Good", Gizmodo, 29 June 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  8. ↑ http://www.crunchbase.com/person/kenneth-shaw
  9. ↑ http://www.elle.com/life-love/ask-e-jean/
  10. ↑ http://www.amazon.com/E.-Jean-Carroll/e/B000AP7CJM
  11. ↑ Tiku, Natasha. "Elle Advice Columnist E. Jean Carroll Has a New Startup For All You Special Ladies", Betabeat, New York, 26 January 2012. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  12. ↑ Bartz, Andrea, and Ehrlich, Brenna. "Three niche dating sites for targeted romance", CNN.com, 25 April 2012.
  13. ↑ . Retrieved on 3 August 2012.
  14. ↑ http://www.michelleskeen.com/media-center/relationships-2-0/
  15. ↑ Lieberman, Sara. [http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/dating/love_at_first_byte_TqYmoWiI3daWvKLC3RAXLN "Love at first byte", New York Post", 5 August 2012. Retrieved on 6 August 2012.

External links


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