Meta, formerly known as Facebook, just revealed it’s shuttering its experimental video speed-dating service, called Sparked, according to a company email acquired by TechCrunch. Sparked was developed by Meta’s in-house NPE team, who often dabble in experimental concepts. The service was unique in that it eschewed traditional dating app design principles in favor of group video chats that were then broken down into four-minute and 10-minute one-on-one chats between willing participants. Sparked was also known for emphasizing kindness as part of its marketing. A signup page declared it was for “video dating with kind people” and profile pages filled with kindness-related questions. Sparked also regularly held specified group chats for different age ranges, LGBTQ+ users, and other demographics. The app launched back in April and will be shuttered on January 20, with the company writing, “like many good ideas, some take off and others, like Sparked, must come to an end.” After January 20, all user accounts will be deleted, but Meta is offering up a way for current users to download profile information before that deadline.
