Parent-friendly online dating?

Heba Arafa, 23, a graduate student in public administration at Benha University in Egypt uses Harmonica as part of her research on local start-ups. She believes it appeals to a younger, internet-literate generation who are “more eager to try different, new ways to find their partners”.

Many people, especially women, are afraid to admit they’re dating informally for fear of social judgement, so more general social apps like Facebook also become a kind of incognito dating service. But because Harmonica is marriage-oriented, Arafa says, it provides a channel through which women can involve their parents and be more open about their activities. Its features also make her feel safer. “We can’t take a screenshot so I feel safe that no one would use my picture in a bad way,” Arafa says. 

But obtaining more widespread acceptance may be a slow process. Ahmed Magdy, a 33-year-old banker, dipped a toe in Harmonica’s online dating pool, but after a year he hadn’t met anyone suitable and he also worried his family would disapprove. “It’s not easy to tell them I’m going to marry someone I met through the internet,” he says. Magdy is now engaged to an old classmate he’s known for years.

Mohamed Hassan Allam, a 26-year-old graphic designer, started online dating three years ago. Though he’s spoken to a number of women on the app, Allam says he’s only met three in person because some people find the idea of meeting a stranger for a date uncomfortable. But he believes online dating is a good way “to try love behind the screens”, even though he hasn’t yet told his parents about it, either.