But there is one risk that most matching apps don’t address: safety. Apps like Tinder and Bumble are the go-to’s, but because they primarily facilitate one-on-one meetings, there is still danger in meeting someone incompatible at the very least and dangerous at the worst. That is, until Klique came around.
Founder Matthew Crown, a Rollins College grad, conducted a series of focus groups at Florida universities. He found that safety, above all else, was the top concern among college students when using matching app, and thus, the concept of Klique was born. Klique is a social networking app that is changing the way we meet new people by matching groups of friends with other friendly groups. This provides a fun, safe way to expand your social circle with the added comfort and security of having your friends by your side. Once a group of friends is created, they are able to swipe left or right to decide which other groups they’d like to connect with. After the groups make a connection, a group chat is started, allowing matches to get to know each other and make plans to meet up. This creates an extra layer of comfort and safety as groups chat and get to know one another before meeting in person.
Groups can also change the type of people they want to see based on factors such as age and gender, allowing them to tailor the type of people they want to meet. They can also personalize their groups by adding bios, providing an option for increased transparency when matching (that way, FSU fans can avoid the risk of matching with a diehard Gators group)
Klique is the perfect app for those looking to widen their social circles, such as college students to whom socializing is almost as important as studying. However, there has been a growing concern over the occurrence of sexual assault on college campuses across the country. Students may be wary of meeting people on an app, putting themselves in a potentially dangerous situation all alone. Because Klique encourages meeting in groups, users can match and meet more confidently with the comfort and security of having their friends in tow.
Because of Klique’s safety initiative, It’s On Us, the White House’s initiative for driving awareness and reducing sexual assault on college campuses, has selected Klique as its app partner and mobile vehicle to promote their important message nationwide. Klique’s “safety in numbers” message makes it the perfect vehicle for It’s On Us’ efforts nationwide as the organization’s presence grows across college campuses. Klique plans to expand their presence on college campuses nationally and is set to work more closely with It’s On Us to help drive the conversation surrounding bystander intervention and strengthening the culture of consent that the organization is striving for. Crown also has plans of implementing a feature called “Klique Spot” where the app would suggest local businesses and venues for Kliques to meet up and hang out, a concept reminiscent of sites like Yelp.
In a time when the ways to meet new people are undergoing a digital transformation, Klique is the catalyst for bringing people together and making new connections in a safer way online and out in the real world.
