Early in the coronavirus pandemic, Jennifer Sherlock went out with a few men she met through dating apps. The dates were B次元官网网址渨eird,B次元官网网址� she said, and not just because they were masked, socially distanced and outdoors.

One one occasion, a date remained masked while they were out for a stroll, but soon after invited her back to his place, a move Sherlock saw as reckless. B次元官网网址淚t was so off putting, and awkward,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淪o we wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be safe outside without mask(s), but we would be safe back at his place maskless?B次元官网网址�

She decided she needed a way to filter people, so she began arranging video chats before agreeing to meet anybody in person. Sherlock, 42, a PR consultant who lives in New Jersey, said itB次元官网网址檚 a practice sheB次元官网网址檒l continue post-pandemic.

Sherlock isnB次元官网网址檛 alone in changing the way she used dating apps during the pandemic, prompting many to roll out new features. Despite the social distancing of the past 18 months, the use of dating apps in general has .

Tinder reported that 2020 was its busiest year yet; this year, its users have already set two records for usage between January and March. Hinge tripled its revenue from 2019 to 2020, and the company expects it to double from that this year.

In response to changing demands, Tinder announced new tools last month that will allow users to get to know people better online. People will now be able to add videos to their profile and can chat with others even before matching with them.

B次元官网网址淗istorically consumers were reluctant to connect via video because they didnB次元官网网址檛 see the need for it,B次元官网网址� said Jess Carbino, an online dating expert and sociologist who has worked for Tinder and Bumble. Post-COVID, however, many people expect a higher degree of screening, she said. B次元官网网址淥nline dating apps like Tinder are leaning into that.B次元官网网址�

The dating apps say their research shows video chats are here to stay, even as life starts to return to normal in some parts of the world.

Almost half of Tinder users had a video chat with a match during the pandemic, with 40% of them intending to continue them post-pandemic. Tinder says this is largely driven by Gen Z users in their late teens and early 20s, who now make up more than half of the appB次元官网网址檚 users. And a majority of Hinge UK users, 69%, also say theyB次元官网网址檒l continue with virtual dates after the pandemic.

Tinder, alongside other popular apps including Hinge, OkCupid and Bumble, has in Britain and the U.S. partnered with the government to add a badge to profiles indicating that . (ThereB次元官网网址檚 no verification process, though, so matches could be lying.)

Dating app users are also increasingly looking for deeper connections rather than casual encounters, Carbino said.

ThatB次元官网网址檚 what happened to Maria del Mar, 29, an aerospace engineer, who wasnB次元官网网址檛 expecting to end up in a relationship after she matched with someone on Tinder early in the pandemic last year.

She started chatting with her now-boyfriend through the app in April 2020 during a complete lockdown in Spain, where she lives. Having moved back to her parentB次元官网网址檚 tiny town of Le贸n from Barcelona, del Mar was bored when she joined the app, but was surprised to find many things in common with her current partner.

After weeks of chatting, they finally met for a first date B次元官网网址� a socially-distanced hike B次元官网网址� after restrictions eased slightly in May 2020. Now the two have moved in together. B次元官网网址淚f it wasnB次元官网网址檛 for the app, probably our paths wouldnB次元官网网址檛 have crossed,B次元官网网址� she said.

Fernando Rosales, 32, was a frequent user of Grindr, an app popular with gay men looking for more casual encounters, in pre-pandemic times. He turned to Tinder for social connections when coronavirus restrictions prevented people from meeting others in London, where he lives.

B次元官网网址淕rindr is like, B次元官网网址業 like you, you like me, youB次元官网网址檙e within 100 meters of me, IB次元官网网址檓 going to come over,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� said Rosales, who works at the popular British coffee chain Pret.

B次元官网网址淭inder is something more social,B次元官网网址� he added. Sometimes he uses the app just to meet others to play online video games or video chat.

Ocean, 26, a drag artist and photographer in Berlin, turned to the live video feature of a LGBTQ+ app called Taimi to make friends across the world during the pandemic. Having two-to-five minute video chats with strangers from places like the Philippines or parts of the U.S. was B次元官网网址渁mazing,B次元官网网址� she said. OceanB次元官网网址檚 given name is Kai Sistemich; she uses she/her pronouns when in drag.

She said sheB次元官网网址檒l continue using the feature post-pandemic, especially while sheB次元官网网址檚 doing solo activities like cooking, or getting ready before going out to party.

Sherlock also expects some of her pandemic dating behaviors to carry into the post-pandemic world. She recently asked two men she was texting for Facetime chats before meeting in person, something she would not have done pre-pandemic.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a crazy dating world out there, so saving time is necessary,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址擴rooba Jamal, The Associated Press