The making and breaking of relationships via social media
The impact of social media on both the start and the end of relationships seems to have been confirmed with the relaunch of a ‘location specific dating tool’ and the news that Facebook is increasingly being named as the third party in divorces.
Launched by 21 year old Rich Martell, with £200,000 worth of backing from former Dragons Den judge, Doug Richard, the new dating service Floxx went online this week.
It is based on a previous concept by Martell called FitFinder which he set up whilst at University. However, it was shut down when its popularity crashed University servers.
Although the website is now online an app will follow soon, and when it does more will be able to sample the Floxx proposition, which is not dissimilar to Grindr the existing service used by gay men. Users tweet a short description of an attractive stranger in the vicinity, entering their sex and hair colour and leaving a brief message.
If the object of their desire is also a Floxxer they will be notified. If not a a sad trace of a missed encounter is left on the map.
Meanwhile, other Floxxer users will be able to monitor the locations where the most ‘fit’ people are, which in turn will encourage them to flock there, hence the name.
Said Martell, “The site and app is a whole new way of connecting people in one location.” Quite.
No doubt the new service could add the strain online services are already putting on marriages. Lawyers are seeing a steep rise in divorce petitions involving Facebook.
Emma Patel, of Surrey Law firm Setfords has been quoted as saying: “There is a distinct trend in social networking websites being cited in divorces, almost as a virtual third party. Facebook features in 30 of the petitions I have seen since May, which is nearly all of them.”