A method and apparatus for dating a body sample, such as blood, includes taking at least one spectroscopic measurement of the sample at at least two predetermined positions in the spectrum having spectral characteristics corresponding to at least two predetermined substances present in the sample that have a time varying relationship with each other. A measured relative concentration of each of the predetermined substances is then determined from the measurement, and the measured relative concentrations of the two predetermined substances is compared with a known variation of the relative concentrations of the two predetermined substances over time. A good fit of the measured relative concentrations to the known variation of the relative concentrations is then determined, so as to provide an indication of the age of the sample. Alternatively, instead of measuring the relative concentrations of each of the predetermined substances, the rate of change of the relative concentrations is determined.

The present patent application concerns an enzyme capable of catalysing the conversion of a α-hydroxyglycine to an α-amide and the use of such enzymes for producing a C-terminal α-amidated peptide.

An improved document scanning device and a scanning method for checking the transparency and thickness of an identification document. In a preferred embodiment, any one surface of the document is illuminated by the illumination source facing the said surface and the opposite surface of the document is captured by the camera. The amount of light that passes through the illuminated surface of the document is measured and contrasted with the amount of light that passes through the same surface of a reference or original document. The scanning method is also capable of validating an identification document by detecting and authenticating any laser image imprinted on such document.

A device for accommodating objects, in particular for use in an airplane, comprises at least one panel. The panel has at least one outer edge which is provided with a rim in order to form a shock-absorbing edge. The rim comprises plastic that is integrally molded onto the outer edge of the panel. The device can be an airplane trolley, folding trolley, container or galley.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may comprise instructions stored thereon. When executed by at least one processor, the instructions may be configured to cause a backend server to at least receive, from an administrator webserver, an extension, store the extension and an associated timestamp in a repository, the associated timestamp indicating a time at which the extension was received from the administrator webserver, receive a request for the extension from a customer webserver, the request for the extension identifying the extension, and in response to receiving the request for the extension, fetch the extension from the repository, and send the extension to the customer webserver.

The described technology is directed towards maintaining and using a version-based hierarchy of software resources (e.g., file system files) to return version-specific responses to clients. A client sends its version information with each data request, and gets back a response based upon that version. Version changes are made by maintaining the current version of each software code resource and overriding the current version with a previous version for clients as needed. The technology allows updates (e.g., for new devices and new software resource versions) to be supported by inserting resources into the resource hierarchy and moving resources therein based upon versioning. A system based on deltas is also contemplated, in which only parts of a file may be changed relative to a different version, instead of overriding the entire file.

System and method for validating software development requirements are disclosed. The method comprises accessing a software development requirement, extracting a plurality of tokens from the software development requirement, tagging each of the plurality of tokens to a corresponding part of speech, and deriving a pattern based on the plurality of tokens and the plurality of corresponding parts of speech. The method further comprises determining at least one of a context and a business domain of the software development requirement and identifying pre-defined rules for the plurality of tokens and pre-defined patterns for the pattern. In response to a positive identification, the software development requirement are validated by analyzing the plurality of tokens against the pre-defined rules and by analyzing the pattern against the pre-defined patterns. In response to a negative identification, a learning process is initiated based on intelligence gathered from a manual validation of the software development requirement.

A computer-implemented method includes receiving a restore command to restore a vehicle computing system (VCS) system state. The method further includes restoring a base system state to a known, functional state and obtaining a list of applications previously installed on the VCS. The method also includes for each application previously installed on the VCS, finding a version of the application compatible with the restored base system state. Also, the method includes installing the version of each application compatible with the restored base system state.

The invention relates to a combustible sleeve for accommodating propellant charge powder, to munitions designed using such a sleeve, and to a production method for such sleeves. The sleeve according to the invention is designed for accommodating propellant charge powder and has a jacket wall made of combustible felted fibrous material and an inlay of intersecting threads in the jacket wall. The threads are disposed therein at a distance from one another such that felted fibrous material reaches through the regions between the threads. The method comprises the following steps: preparing a jacket wall made of combustible felted fibrous material and inserting an inlay made of intersecting threads into the jacket wall. The threads are disposed therein at a distance from one another such that the felted fibrous material extends through the regions between the threads.

The present invention aims to provide a technology capable of enhancing the effect of reducing differential data in size. A bit shift unit shifts either of old data and new data in a forward direction and a backward direction of its bit string by each of 0, 1, 2, . . . , and n bit(s) to generate a plurality of data. A copy bit string extracting unit extracts information on copy bit strings based on the plurality of data and other non-shifted data. An additional bit string extracting unit excludes copy bit strings from the new data to extract information on additional bit strings. A differential data generating unit creates differential data based on the information on copy bit strings and the information on additional bit strings.

The embattled music producer clarifies in a lengthy comment below his birthday tribute to his ex-wife that the model was a legal adult when he began courting her.

Do you actually like this guy? You've written an essay here and the only positives you list about this person are qualities you assumed about him during the period you had no personal contact. Of course he makes himself look interesting in his own blog.

Stop worrying if he likes you or not, or likes you enough or more than your friend maybe. For the next few weeks, your sole focus should be "do I actually like this guy, really?"

If it's your anxiety telling you you're not good enough that's one thing, but I don't get the impression from what you've written that you've spent a lot of time looking at this dude with a critical eye. HE needs to be right for YOU before you start concerning yourself with whether you're good enough for him.

Twitch, the online video site popular among gamers, is looking for its version of “The Bachelor.” The company plans to fund a slate of original, unscripted series that would be live and interactive, airing two to three times a week, according to an internal document seen by Bloomberg. Its preferred genres are game shows, dating […]

The list of events that have been canceled in the Seattle area continues to grow as we head into the third week of the novel coronavirus outbreak. We'll keep this list updated throughout the week.

The list of events that have been canceled in the Seattle area continues to grow as we head into the third week of the novel coronavirus outbreak. We'll keep this list updated throughout the week.

Check out our interactive list, sorted by neighborhood, of Seattle restaurants offering takeout and/or delivery options due to the recent ban on dining in because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Twitch, the online video site popular among gamers, is looking for its version of “The Bachelor.” The company plans to fund a slate of original, unscripted series that would be live and interactive, airing two to three times a week, according to an internal document seen by Bloomberg. Its preferred genres are game shows, dating […]

Here's a look at some Seattle-area events that have moved online. We will update this list regularly as we receive more information about online events.

Here's an updated list of local events that have moved online due to the novel coronavirus pandemic and its effects.

Here's an updated list of local events that have moved online due to the novel coronavirus pandemic and its effects.

Here's an updated list of local events that have moved online due to the novel coronavirus pandemic and its effects.

Here's an updated list of local events that have moved online due to the novel coronavirus pandemic and its effects.

Here's an updated list of local events that have moved online due to the novel coronavirus pandemic and its effects.

Here's an updated list of local events that have moved online due to the novel coronavirus pandemic and its effects.

Twitch, the online video site popular among gamers, is looking for its version of “The Bachelor.” The company plans to fund a slate of original, unscripted series that would be live and interactive, airing two to three times a week, according to an internal document seen by Bloomberg. Its preferred genres are game shows, dating […]

Claims abound about how COVID-19 is affecting online dating. Some say that because the prospect of physical sex is off the table, people are spending more time getting to know each other. Think less ghosting, more talking. But researchers warn it’s too soon to make any major declarations about the changing nature of online trysts.

Now, more than ever, are we sacrificing privacy online for connection? The changes in online dating behaviour during lockdown, and ruminations on aging when you still feel 28. Plus a song for its namesake.

Snakes have been known to wrap their jaws around crocodiles, kangaroos and goats so why would one give up on a bird?

Can you use simple maths to figure out your best online dating profile match? Or choose the shortest line in the supermarket? According to mathematician Lily Serna, yes you can.

Updated May 6 with cancellation of Pitchfork Music Festival Worries about the growing coronavirus pandemic, which has so far infected more than 1 million people in the United States and killed at least 58,000 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have dramatically upended what was originally going to be a busy schedule of entertainment, sports and cultural events into a virtually empty slate in the first half of 2020.Click to see updated film, music, television, sports, tech and miscellaneous events. FilmTheaters have closed indefinitely, leading studios to push back release dates or go the direct-to-consumer route.Event: Locarno Film Festival Location: Switzerland Original Date: August 5-15 Rescheduled: No, but launched “Locarno 2020 – Future of Films Initiative“Event: Beijing International Film Festival Location: Beijing Original Date: April 19-26 Rescheduled: Online fest to stream on iQIYI beginning May 1Event: Karlovy Vary Film Festival Location: Czech Republic Original Date: July 3-11 Date canceled: April 27 Rescheduled: July 2-10, 2021Event: Comic-Con Location: San Diego Original date: July 23-26 Date canceled: April 17 Rescheduled? Yes, to July 22-25, 2021Event: Cannes Film Festival Location: Cannes, France Original date: May 12-23 Date rescheduled: April 14 Rescheduled? Yes, TBD time and formatEvent: Cannes’ Directors Fortnight, Critics Week Location: Cannes, France Original dates: May 13-23 Date canceled: April 15 Rescheduled? No, but organizers are “looking at the best way to keep on supporting the films submitted”Event: Annecy Animation Film Festival Location: Annecy, France Original date: June 15-20 Date canceled: April 7 Rescheduled? Event will be digital-onlyEvent: Wondercon Location: Anaheim, California Original date: April 10-12 Rescheduled: Yes, March 26-28, 2021Event: South by Southwest 2020 Location: Austin, Texas Original date: March 13-22 Date canceled: March 6 Rescheduled? No, but films will screen online in AprilEvent: 40th Annual Razzie Awards Location: Los Angeles, Calif. Original date: March 14 Date canceled/postponed: March 14 Rescheduled? No, winners announced onlineEvent: Tribeca Film Festival Location: New York Original date: March 20-22 Date postponed: March 12 Rescheduled? No, select programming debuted onlineEvent: CineEurope Convention Location: Barcelona Date postponed: March 24 Rescheduled: Yes, August 3-6Event: Produced By Conference Location: Los Angeles Original date: June 6-7 Date Canceled: March 20 Rescheduled? NoPostponed Event: AFI Tribute to Julie Andrews Original Date: April 25 Date Canceled: March 7 Rescheduled? New date and air date will be announced in coming weeks MusicBans on large public gatherings have shut down Broadway and concert venues, though artists have begun performing their works online.Event: Pitchfork Music Festival Location: Union Park, Chicago Original Date: July 17-19 Date canceled: May 6 Rescheduled: NoEvent: Elton John “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour Location: North America Original date: May 22-July 8 Date canceled: April 23 Rescheduled: 2021 TBDEvent: Against Me! 2020 spring tours Location: U.S. and Europe Original date: Beginning May 1 Date canceled: April 17 Rescheduled? TBDEvent: Taylor Swift’s “Lover Fest” Shows Location: U.S. and Europe Original date: Summer 2020 Date canceled: April 17 Rescheduled? Yes, for 2021Event: Coachella 2020 Location: Indio, California Original date: April 10-12 and April 17-19 Date canceled: March 10 Rescheduled? Yes, October 2020Event: Stagecoach Country Music Festival Location: Indio, California Original date: April 24-26 Date canceled: March 10 Rescheduled? Yes, October 10Event: Eurovision Song Contest Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands Original date: May 12-16 Date canceled: March 18 Rescheduled? NoEvent: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2020 Induction Ceremony Location: Cleveland, Ohio Original date: March 20-22 Date postponed: March 12 Rescheduled? Yes (Nov. 7, 2020) and will air 8 p.m. ET on HBOEvent: 55th Academy of Country Music Awards Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas Original date: April 5 Date postponed: March 17 Rescheduled? September 16, 2020 and will air 8 p.m. ET of CBS and CBS All AccessPostponed Event: CMT Music Awards Original date: June 3 Date Canceled: April 3 Rescheduled? Yes, Oct. 14Event: Boston Calling Festival Location: Boston Original date: May 22-24 Date canceled: March 31 Rescheduled? TBD 2021Event: CMA Fest 2020 Location: Nashville, Tenn. Original date: June 4-7 Date canceled: March 31 Rescheduled? June 10-13, 2021Event: Governors Ball 2020 Location: New York City Original date: June 5-7 Date postponed: March 26 Rescheduled? NoEvent: Lovers & Friends Festival Location: Los Angeles Original date: May 9 Date canceled: March 27 Rescheduled? Yes, August 8Event: Glastonbury Musical Festival Location: Pilton, Somerset, England Original date: June 24-28 Date canceled: March 18 Rescheduled? NoEvent: Billboard Music Awards Location: Las Vegas Original date: April 29 Date postponed: March 17 Rescheduled? TBDEvent: Bonnaroo Location: Manchester, Tennessee Original Date: July 11-14 Date Canceled: March 18 Rescheduled? Yes, September 2020Event: BTS 2020 Tour Location: North America, London, Berlin, Barcelona Original date: April 25-26 in Los Angeles Date canceled: March 26 Rescheduled? TBD, postponedEvent: Pussy Riot North American tour Location: US, Canada Original date: March 17-18 Date canceled: March 12 Rescheduled? TBDEvent: Green Day, “Father of All…” tour, first leg Location: Cities across Asia Original date: March 2020 Date canceled: Feb. 27 Rescheduled? TBAEvent: Ultra Music Festival Location: Miami, Florida Original date: March 20-22, 2020 Date canceled: March 4 Rescheduled? TBDEvent: The National Japan tour Location: Tokyo Original date: March 17-18 Date canceled: March 2 Rescheduled? NoEvent: The Pixies Asia tour Location: Cities in Japan and China Original date: Feb. 24-March 3 Date canceled: Feb. 23 Rescheduled? TBDEvent: Stereolab China Tour Location: Shanghai, Beijing Original date: March 19, 21 Date canceled: Feb. 20 Rescheduled? TBDEvent: Stormzy “Heavy is the Head” Asia Tour Location: China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia Original date: March 20-21, 24, 27, 29 Date canceled: Feb. 13 Rescheduled? Postponed, TBDEvent: Korea Times Music Festival Location: Hollywood Bowl Original Date: April 25 Date Canceled: Feb. 26 Rescheduled? TBDEvent: BTS “Map of the Soul” Tour, South Korea Dates Location: Olympic Stadium in Seoul Original Date: April 11, 12, 18 and 19 Date Canceled: Feb. 27 Rescheduled? TBDEvent: Burning Man Location: Nevada’s Black Rock Desert Original Dates: Aug. 30 to Sept. 7 Date Canceled: April 11 Rescheduled? Organizers plan to hold a virtual online-only event. TelevisionProduction has been suspended or delayed on nearly every show.Event: Television Critics Association 2020 Summer Press Tour Location: Pasadena, Calif. Original date: Late July to mid August Date postponed: May 1 Rescheduled? NoEvent: Kids Choice Awards 2020 Location: Las Vegas Original date: March 22 Date postponed: March 11 Rescheduled? TBDEvent: Edinburgh TV Festival Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Original date: August 26-28 Rescheduled? Event will be digital-onlyEvent: Peabody Awards Location: Los Angeles Original date: June 18 Date postponed: March 25 Rescheduled? Yes (exact date TBD)Event: National Association of Broadcasters’ NAB Show 2020 Location: Las Vegas Original date: April 19-22 Date canceled: March 11 Rescheduled? NoEvent: PaleyFest LA 2020 Location: The Paley Center in Los Angeles Original date: March 13-22 Date postponed: March 11 Rescheduled? TBDEvent: MipTV Location: Cannes, France Original date: March 30-April 2 Date canceled: March 4 Rescheduled? No SportsSports has taken a major hit domestically and internationally. Nearly all events have been canceled or postponed, including the 2020 Olympics.Event: 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan Location: Tokyo Original date: July 24 – Aug 9 Date postponed: March 24 Rescheduled? July 23 – Aug 8, 2021Event: Tour de France Location: France Original date: June 27 – July 19 Date postponed: April 14 Rescheduled: August 29 – September 20Event: Kentucky Derby Location: Churchill Downs Original date: May 2 Date postponed: March 17 Rescheduled? Sept. 5Event: NASCAR Indy 500 Location: Indianapolis Original date: May 24 Date postponed: March 26 Rescheduled? Aug. 23Event: Wimbledon Location: London Original date: June 29-July 12 Date canceled: April 1 Rescheduled: June 28 – July 11, 2021Event: World Surf League March events Location: Global Original date: Throughout March Date postponed: March 12 Rescheduled? TBDEvent: XFL 2020 Inaugural Season Location: Nationwide Date Canceled: March 20 Rescheduled? NoEvent: Little League World Series Location: Williamsport, Pennsylvania Original Date: Aug. 20-30 Date Canceled: April 30 Rescheduled? No MiscellaneousEvent: NYC Pride Location: New York City Original date: June 14-28 Date canceled: April 20 Rescheduled? NoEvent: Anime Expo Location: Los Angeles Original date: July 2-5 Date canceled: April 17 Rescheduled? July 2-5, 2021Event: White House Correspondents’ Dinner Location: Washington, D.C. Original date: April 25 Date postponed: April 13 Rescheduled? August 29, 2020Event: Cannes Lion Festival Location: Cannes, France Original date: June 22-June 26, rescheduled for October 26-30 Date canceled: April 3 Rescheduled? June 21-25, 2021Event: Edinburgh Fringe Festival (and also Edinburgh Art Festival, Edinburgh International Book Festival, Edinburgh International Festival and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo) Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Original date: August 7-31 Date canceled: March 31 Rescheduled? TBD 2021Event: RuPaul’s DragCon Location: Los Angeles Original date: May 1-3 Date canceled: March 10 Rescheduled? NoEvent: Gridiron Dinner Location: Washington, D.C. Original date: March 14 Date canceled: March 10 Rescheduled? NoEvent: LA Pride Parade and Pride Month events Location: West Hollywood, Calif. Original date: June 2020 Rescheduled? NoEvent: Beijing and Shanghai Fashion Weeks Location: Beijing, Shanghai Original date: March 25-31 Date canceled: February 10 Rescheduled? TBDEvent: Art Basel Hong Kong Location: Hong Kong Original date: March 19-21 Date canceled: February 6 Rescheduled? No, online viewings insteadPostponed Event: Just for Laughs Comedy Festival Original Date: July Date Canceled: April 3 Rescheduled? Yes, September 29 – October 11Event: Los Angeles Times Festival of Books Location: Los Angeles Original date: April 18-19 Date canceled: March 10 Rescheduled? Yes, postponed to October 3-4Event: Exploding Kittens’ “Burning Cat” convention Location: Portland, Oregon Original date: May 16-17 Date canceled: March 10 Rescheduled? Postponed until further noticeEvent: Scripps National Spelling Bee Location: Washington, D.C. Original date: May 28 Date Canceled: April 21 Rescheduled? No TechEvent: GDC Summer Conference Location:  San Francisco Original date: August 4-6 Date postponed: April 30 Rescheduled? Now an online-only eventEvent: Esports World Open Location: Tokyo Original date: July 22-24 Date postponed: April 17 Rescheduled? NoEvent: E3 2020 Location: Los Angeles Convention Center, Downtown Original date: June 11-13 Date canceled: March 11 Rescheduled? NoEvent: Game Developers Conference Location: San Francisco Original date: March 16-20 Rescheduled? No, digital-only with a summer event planned August 4-6Event: Riot Games 2020 Mid-Season Invitational Location: Global Original date: May Date canceled: March 10 Rescheduled? Yes, postponed to July 3-19Event: Microsoft Build conference Location: Seattle, Washington Original date: May 19-21 Rescheduled: Will now be digital-onlyEvent: FMX Visual Effects Conference Location: Stuttgart, Germany Original date: May 5-8 Date canceled: March 3 Rescheduled? NoEvent: Google I/O Conference Location: Mountain View, California Original date: May 12-14 Date canceled: March 3 Rescheduled? NoEvent: 24th Annual Webby Awards Location: New York City Original date: May 11 Date Canceled: March 19 Rescheduled? No, but winners will be announced online via an “Internet celebration”Event: Mobile World Congress Spain Location: Barcelona Original date: February 24-27 Date canceled: February 12 Rescheduled? NoEvent: Facebook’s F8 Location: San Jose Original date: May 5-6 Date canceled: February 27 Rescheduled? TBD, events onlineEvent: ESL One LA (Esports match) Location: Shrine Auditorium, Downtown LA Original date: May 2 Date postponed: March 12 Rescheduled? TBDEvent: Apple: Worldwide Development Conference Location: San Jose, California Original date: June Rescheduled: Will now be digital-onlyEvent: Burning Man Festival – Build of Black Rock City Location: Black Rock Desert, Nevada Original date: Aug. 30 to Sept. 7 Rescheduled: Will be virtual on a date TBDRead original story Coronavirus: The Canceled and Postponed Events in Tech, Media, Sports and Entertainment (Updating) At TheWrap

Nick Cannon is looking for love again.

The talk show host is taking no dating risks.

Rumors sparked after the latest airing of The Last Dance.

Plus, her tips on being a successful 21st-century woman.

Self-consolidating concrete (SCC) is a highly flowable, nonsegregating concrete that is placed without any mechanical consolidation. TRB will conduct a webinar on Thursday, June 11, 2020, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM Eastern to discuss how SCC may be used to fill heavily congested or irregularly shaped members in bridge applications more easily while providing improved in-place quality and surface finish.The use of SCC may also decrease construction costs due to the reduced labor requirements during construct...

No one said, that just because you're over fifty and alone, that you can't date. Wanting to stay single and live alone doesn't necessarily exclude dating. You don't get kicked out of the club if you do. Some of you... may even retire from your singlehood, and (heaven forbid) get married again!! You need some […]

A fomer-long haul truck driver behind bars for allegedly killing three women in Tennessee and Wyoming in the 1990s is now being investigated for any ties he may have to other cold murder cases, police said.

What's it like dating in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic? Tell us your story.

We asked readers to share their experiences about what it's like dating in the middle of a pandemic. Many hope the shutdown will lead to deeper connections, and love. One unexpected upside? You don't need to wear pants -- or even shower -- for virtual dates. Here are some highlights.

L.A. dating coach Damona Hoffman tackles dating and relationship questions on her weekly podcast, "Dates & Mates." Today she shares answers to the most common questions about love in the time of coronavirus.

A fomer-long haul truck driver behind bars for allegedly killing three women in Tennessee and Wyoming in the 1990s is now being investigated for any ties he may have to other cold murder cases, police said.

I told my two roommates I was taking full sabbatical from dating. Taking a 'man-cation' was not a difficult decision. My last two dates had been total duds.

Together we had woven a 10-year on-again-off-again story so obnoxious, the jokes we made about being like a couple straight out of a sitcom started feeling like a twisted reality.

It's not easy searching for virtual alternatives to social interactions and intimacy during a time of unprecedented social distancing. Here's how a pandemic is changing the game.

• Dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge have reported increased use amid the coronavirus pandemic, while touting virtual dating alternatives for users instead of meeting up in person.
• Swaths of users are still encouraging matches to break quarantine to have sex and go on dates, despite social distancing guidelines and fines to comply with them.
• An illustrator on Instagram has been collecting screenshots of these situations, and told Business Insider that users will brand themselves as "badasses," dispute the effectiveness of isolating, and lash out in anger and hurl abusive language when they're rejected.
• Spokespeople for Grindr, Tinder and Bumble told Business Insider they've informed users to adhere to social-distancing guidelines, but did not respond to inquiries about actions they're taking against users in places where violating lockdown orders can be against the law.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

As millions remain confined to their homes to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the desire for human contact and connection has risen dramatically and led some to search for ways to break those social distancing rules.

Popular dating apps — including Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge — have reported significant increases during the outbreak of swiping activity, matches between users, and messages exchanged. It's also led to the introduction of a breed of users who are interested in shirking lockdown orders, and are encouraging their matches to join them in doing the same.

Dating app users have shared stories across social media, and recently with Mashable, about messages they've received from matches who ask them to come over or want to hook up. Artist Samantha Rothenberg, who uses the handle @violetclair on Instagram, has been collecting these screenshots from followers, and told Business Insider she's received close to a thousand of such stories.

"Because of how common it is, I can honestly say that anyone who is on a dating app right now has dealt with this," Rothenberg told Business Insider. "People are horny, and a lot of people are putting that ahead of the risk and the danger."

For dating platforms whose end goal is inherently to bring its millions of users together in real life, the coronavirus outbreak has put them in a curious predicament. Dating apps are forced to balance a desire to keep people on their platform for the sake of business, with a moral responsibility to discourage users to engage in behavior with potential life-or-death implications.

Since the start of the outbreak, apps have rolled out in-app virtual dating options and touted ways users can go on virtual dates. However, the prevalence of users who are trying to meet up in person, as documented by Rothenberg and screenshots across social media, raise questions about whether these dating platforms are doing enough to stymie such behavior in the time of coronavirus.

Rothenberg has long collected screenshots of users' horror stories from dating app interactions, which she often will depict in illustrations she posts to her Instagram account. But ever since the pandemic led states to instill lockdown orders starting in March, nearly all of the screenshots she's received have had to do with coronavirus.

These lockdown-violating users fall into a few general categories, according to Rothenberg. There's the users who try to paint themselves as "badasses" for breaking the rules, though Rothenberg says they're more like "a--holes." There are the matches who propose meeting up and, after getting rejected, reverse course to say they're were joking or "testing" you, she says. You'll also encounter the anti-quarantine user, whose reasoning is based on claims about herd immunity and the ineffectiveness of social distancing measures.

The last group is made up of users who react to "no" with anger and verbal abuse, Rothenberg told Business Insider. Women told Mashable recently about encounters with men on dating apps who badgered and harassed them after they turned down in-person meetings, going to the point of gaslighting.

These types of users are what led Rothenberg to launch a petition on Change.org to hold dating apps responsible for enforcing social distancing guidelines during the pandemic. She's also been active about calling out dating apps in her Instagram Stories she posts with screenshots she receives.

"People are angry, they tell me, 'can you believe this, this is disgusting, this is wrong,'" Rothenberg said. "Because I have this platform, I feel I have a bit of a responsibility to put these [stories] out in the open and share, and bring some light into what's going on out there to people who may not know."

In late March, platforms sent out various messages and alerts to their users that Rothenberg documented on Instagram. A message to Bumble users from CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd said: "Please don't meet your Bumble matches IRL for now." Hinge users were told to "stay safe and keep connected."

Tinder, arguably the most well-know dating app, also discouraged users to meet up in a platform-wide message sent March 26.

"We know there's a lot to stay to each other as we all do our best to stay healthy and prevent the spread of the coronavirus," the message from Tinder said. "We hope to be a place for connecting during this challenging time, but it's important to stress that now is not the time to meet IRL with your match."

Dating apps' responsibilities to pivot from IRL to TXT

As companies across industries adjust business to stay afloat, dating apps have transitioned to emphasize alternatives to in-person meetups. Although online dating success has long been measured by the amount of conversations that turn to real-life connections, platforms are forced to rethink their strategy as users continue turning to them en masse. A poll conducted by Hinge found that 70% of its users said they were open to going on dates on Zoom, FaceTime, and other video platforms.

Some dating brands have introduced new features amid the pandemic. Hinge launched "Date from Home" in April, where users can indicate to a match they're ready to move their conversation off-app. Plenty of Fish started rolling out a livestreaming feature in March to users in the U.S. to allow matches to go on short virtual dates. Tinder, relatively late to the game, announced this week it was launching a video chat feature by the end of June.

A spokesperson for Match Group — the parent company on Tinder, Hinge, Plenty of Fish, and other dating platforms — told Business Insider that it made updates to its products "to help users better navigate stay-from-home policies and date digitally via phone or video."

Other apps that already enabled video chat and voice call, like The League and Bumble, are pushing these features to their users more than ever. 

But while users on these dating apps are swiping and messaging at new highs, the transition to virtual-only hasn't been as seamless for those on Grindr, the most popular dating app for gay men. Steve, a 26-year-old living in Washington, D.C., told Business Insider that activity on Grindr is "completely dead." He said he doesn't check the app nearly as often any more, but messages he does get on the app are largely from people who say they want to meet up despite the quarantine.

Grindr, like other apps, has attempted to pivot to virtual dating: The platform recently introduced Circles, where groups of up to 20 users can join chats centered around certain topics and interests. However, Steve said he's seen these groups largely dissolve into "all d--k pics."

"I dont think Grindr has the ability to rebrand itself honestly at this point for something other than hookups," Steve said. "They tried to take the opportunity to rebrand itself as something else, and it just right away became sexual."

A Grindr spokesperson told Business Insider it had sent in-app notifications to all users asking them to "refrain from in-person meetings right now."Nonetheless, an app-wide message sent to users — and shared by users on Twitter — made no mention of asking users to social distance. 

For users across these dating apps who encourage the violating of social distancing guidelines, it's unclear how much responsibility platforms have to keep their users' indoors. In some states under lockdown, authorities have doled out fines and even arrested residents found failing to follow at-home guidelines.

Grindr, Bumble and Match Group — the parent company of Tinder, Hinge, Plenty of Fish and others — told Business Insider in statements they have encouraged users to adhere to coronavirus guidelines from the World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control.

None of the companies responded to Business Insider's requests for comment about whether asking to violate social-distancing guidelines on the platforms is a breach of policy or would garner any ban or suspension on a user.

SEE ALSO: What you need to know about Grimes, the Canadian musician who just had a baby with tech billionaire Elon Musk

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