Tawkify
Tawkify is a dating website that uses human matchmakers instead of computer algorithms to select matches. The matchmakers set people up on the phone (Tawkifies), on walks (Walkifies) and on Mystery Dates.
Overview
Tawkify facilitates heterosexual and same-[...] relationships in the United States and Canada.
The site's most notable matchmaker is E. Jean Carroll (co-founder). The site also uses a robot, Mr. Brooks. The site can use Klout scores to match users. Registration may involve less than ten questions. No user sees any photographs or personal information AbOUT any other user. Users can choose to be matched by phone (a Tawkify), Mystery Date, or Walkify.
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. Panelist Amarnath Thombre (Match.com Vice President of Strategy) said: "We've seen algorithms that are four to ten times better than random". 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." 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?"
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".
History
Tawkify co-founders are E. Jean Carroll and Kenneth Shaw. E. Jean Carroll is the writer of Elle magazine's "Ask E. Jean" column, Emmy Award nominee for writing for Saturday Night Live, television talk show host and author of four books. 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". The Tawkify website launched in January 2012. In January 2012 Tawkify was featured in The New York Observer{{'}}s Betabeat blog. In April 2012 Tawkify appeared in The New York Times. In April 2012 Tawkify appeared on CNN.com. In May 2012 E. Jean Carroll appeared in Internet Week New York, presented by Yahoo! In June 2012 Tawkify launched Mystery Date and Walkify. In June 2012 Tawkify was featured in Gizmodo. In July 2012 Tawkify Matchmaker Charlee Ziegler was interviewed by Michelle Skeen, PsyD, on her radio show Relationships 2.0. In August 2012 Tawkify was featured in The Globe and Mail. In August 2012 Tawkify appeared in The New York Post.
See also
- Comparison of online dating websites