The time of fake online faces is over — say hello to “what we checked vs. what we got.”
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA — To stop heartbreak before dates, a group of sensitive men created the Pre-Date Authenticity Form. It makes women prove their faces match their Instagram photos.
“There’s a big difference between online photos and real life,” said Jeremy Shezi, the group’s spokesperson. “It’s like ordering a celebrity and getting their old relative instead.”
The form, required before dating, asks for full-body photos in bad light, selfies taken by an unkind friend, and close-up toe pictures during dry season. A “no makeup, no filter” selfie is optional but liked.
The African Men’s Dating Union calls the form a big step for honest dating. “It’s not just a form. It’s protection,” one man said. “No more fake faces. No more lies.”
But some women’s groups call the form “online body-shaming.” They say if men had to show their hairline history or bank account, dating apps would shut down by lunch.
So far, many women who won’t fill out the form have been ignored and signed up for PhotoShop Anonymous, a program to help people stop using photo filters.