Introducing Verona - an App with World Peace at its Heart

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is some of the most unmanageable and violent in the world. But coming in to single-handedly lead the way to world peace is a dating app that goes by the name 

Verona.

digitaltrends.com

 

Verona specifies that it is a dating app for Israelis and Palestinians. The app creators say their goal is to provide a platform for a new kind of conversation. 

The app is basically Tinder, but when you sign up you have to choose either "Israeli" or "Palestinian." You are then shown your prospective matches in the surrounding area who are all identifying with the opposite group.

Then your options are just like Tinder: swipe left or right according to their looks and your personal preferences.  

At first, something felt off about this app. Perhaps it was the Romeo and Juliet references – because we all know how that one ended… Or perhaps it was just the obvious Tinder rip off that was being aimed at people in the middle of war-zone. I don’t know.

What I did know was that this would be a touchy subject so I did some research. That’s when I found out that the maker of the app goes by the name of Matthew Nolan and is based in NYC. I wanted to give the app a chance, I wanted to believe that it could do some good, but I'm afraid this was the end of the road for me. 

I felt uncomfortable. I had several questions running through my mind: Are they for real? Are they trying to profit from years and years of conflict and death and oppression? 

There are some deep, dark capitalist ideals behind this app.

I then found an interview with Nolan on Vice.com – this is where everything took a turn for the worse.

He says “Everybody thinks that it's hilarious. And nobody's threatened to kill me yet, so I think I'm onto something."

“Hilarious” ?

I don't see what's funny.

The situation is bad, it’s still happening and it's not getting better.

As it stands, I don't like the sound of the guy who came up with Verona. But as far as the app goes, it might work. There are 1000+ users already on it - most of them being students in the New York area. It might genuinely be helping some people find friendship and communicate, so I'm not going to completely rip it apart. Not yet.

The app is also only available on Android, but Nolan is pushing for a release on iPhones, which would open the app up to a huge, new user base.

My only piece of advice to 31 year old Nolan is to watch the way he speaks about this subject. The way he spoke in the Vice.com interview will not sit right with a lot of people. Things could quickly change and it won't be so "hilarious" then, will it? 

Megan Herdson

Megan is a country girl who moved to the city with some big dreams. She is studying her MA in Creative Writing whilst also managing an American Football Team.  She loves her blog and wants nothing more than to have her words read. That and to win the Championship, obviously. Follow her @MeganAtSMF

Contact us on Twitter, on Facebook, or leave your comments below. To find out about social media training or management why not take a look at our website for more info http://socialmediacambridge.co.uk/.