Apple Discontinues Covert Social Gathering App Amidst Ongoing Global Health Crisis
In a move that left no one surprised with a lick of common sense, tech giant Apple has pulled the Vybe Together app from its Apple Store. The reason? Promoting secret gatherings during the worst global pandemic in a century, as reported by The Verge.
Vybe Together, according to its now-defunct website, was an app intended to help users "get their rebel on, get their party on." Despite its baffling approach, it even featured a promotional image of young Diana Ross grooving at Studio 54. In a bid to attract partygoers, the site asked if users missed playing beer pong, flirting with strangers, and generally having a good time. Unsurprisingly, Vybe Together promoted these activities on TikTok, even posting a New Year's Eve party video in New York, where the statewide COVID-19 positivity rate recently hit 7.14%. Unbelievably, none of the partiers in the video wore masks or seemed to care about social distancing.
The app functioned by allowing users to create and search for private parties, with approval required to join the platform. This approval process involved submitting an Instagram handle and sharing photos of partygoing to prove one wasn't a narc. Although the app had been in existence for four months, it only gained attention when New York Times writer Taylor Lorenz criticized it on Twitter.
In a defensive statement, a Vybe Together spokesperson insisted they weren't promoting large gatherings. They confirmed that popular events were removed from the app, and small gatherings were the compromise they offered. However, this reasoning is as misguided as thinking that hosting small indoor gatherings is any less risky than large events.
Earlier this month, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that New York's contact tracing data showed that 70% of newer COVID-19 cases originated from households and small gatherings. Small indoor gatherings may not contribute to superspreading events as much as large ones, but they are still far from risk-free, especially in communities with higher infection rates.
Vybe Together's creators claimed that guest lists for these "small" gatherings were curated but provided no evidence of limits on the number of attendees. Adhering to these restrictions would likely dampen the overall party spirit.
Since grasping media attention, Vybe Together has made attempts to scrub its online presence, leaving only an Instagram account. Hopefully, the creators would have learned their lesson and shut down until the pandemic subsides entirely. Instead, their Instagram profile reads, "App Store took us down!!! We will be back!!!"
However, if we were to analyze another app like Beatmatch, a social events platform not explicitly promoting secret parties, the following health guidelines and risks associated with attending or organizing social events during the pandemic should be considered:
- COVID-19 Transmission Risks: Social gatherings can increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission; especially when attendees are not vaccinated or safety protocols are not followed.
- Health Guidelines: Organizers should follow local health guidelines, such as mask mandates, social distancing, and vaccination requirements.
- Safety Measures: Venues should implement ventilation, crowd control, and sanitation measures to reduce transmission risks.
- Communication: Clear communication about safety protocols and requirements should be shared with attendees beforehand.
- Legal Considerations: Organizers should comply with local regulations regarding public gatherings during a pandemic to avoid legal issues.
- Ethical Considerations: Promoting secret parties may raise ethical concerns, disregarding public health guidelines and potentially putting attendees at risk.
[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, January 7). How COVID-19 Spreads. Retrieved February 3, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/index.html
- Despite Apple's recent decision, it's likely that tech companies will continue to grapple with the ethical implications of hosting apps that promote gatherings during a pandemic.
- In the future, technology could play a crucial role in helping us navigate these challenges, implementing features that ensure safety measures are followed before approval for events is granted.
- For instance, an iOS app like Beatmatch could potentially include a feature that requires users to confirm adherence to health guidelines before they can search for or join events.
- The future of tech-driven social gatherings could hinge on striking a balance between promoting fun and safety, ensuring everyone's 'vybe' is not at the expense of public health.
