This Dating App Lets You See Your Match’s Conversations

The dating app market is crowded. When you've got Tinder, Bumble, Hinge and hundreds more, what could tempt users to join a new app? Well, in the case of SEEN, the attraction is that every interaction you have in the app is posted on your profile and can be read or watched by other daters. Yes, that means users can see your text messages and video calls with other matches.

SEEN Datingis the brainchild of Mike Montgomery, who set out to create a dating app with increased transparency. The aim? To reduce catfishing, ghosting and trolling within dating apps. The outcome? Most likely absolute mayhem.

So wait, what actually happens and what can people see? According to the press release, this is how it all works: ‘Check out the pics, read the bio, swipe right if you’re feeling it and if it’s a “Match” you get connected in chat. Each time you interact with users on SEEN all the text messages and the video chat, enabled through the app, are recorded and posted under your profile in real-time.’

But that’s not all, SEEN is created for entertainment purposes too – not just dating. That means that you can follow the interactions of daters on the app without even setting up a profile. As in, you can watch real-time love stories developing online. Essentially, it’s a stalkers paradise.

‘We know that transparency in dating might seem terrifying at first,’ Montgomery said in a statement. ‘But we believe it represents a more positive and effective future of online dating. Online daters are increasingly fed up with faked up profiles and time wasters, and transparency puts an end to that.

‘As the safest and most respectful dating environment, SEEN Dating represents a bold alternative,’ he continued. ‘Our daters are charismatic and authentic with “nothing to hide”. Catfishing, ghosting and trolling are a thing of the past on the app. Plus, we are experiencing unprecedented relationship success - so, it works!’

It does seem like the type of app you would only download if you were actually serious about dating, because clearly there’s no room for error or game-playing. But, is this what dating has really come to? Is our only chance to meet someone when we force them to be decent human beings lest they be publicly shamed?

More than that, surely you could just put up a charade on this app - in the same way people do on Instagram - and only reveal your true fuck-boy or ghosting self once you've swapped numbers? Or worse, in real life? Honestly, i'm quite happy to weed out the weirdos who sent creepy messages or ghost after one conversation before they actually waste my time or know my number.

Plus, what about the other repercussions? Surely being able to view other peoples messages makes for some incessant stalking, not just between matches but from outsiders too. Not to mention, the unnecessary jealousy it could inspire if you're talking to multiple people on the app. Let's not forget, context, tone and nuance is often lost in online messaging - one user may lose hope in a match should they see all their other conversations, when in reality said match really likes them and is just entertaining randoms out of boredom or speculation. Ultimately, giving people greater access to private conversations seems like a sure fire way to cause unnecessary arguments.

Honestly, we can’t quite figure out how to feel about this app. While it could be the worst thing to happen ever, there is some value in reducing cat-fishing and trolling on apps - especially since women are particularly vulnerable to such behaviour.

Luckily, we don’t have to make our mind up just yet because it’s not available in the UK right now. If it ever is, rest assured we'll be doing an intense deep dive into transparency in online dating. If this is what dating has come to, we need to know whether or not it's worth it or whether we should just be throwing in the towel.

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