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It started suddenly, one minute I was watching TV with my housemates and then, came the notifications. But it wasn’t just me, everyone I knew had been inundated with MeowChat invites and the app had gone viral, like a social messaging plague.
Made by New York App developers Minus, the app formerly known as Meow, now MeowChat has been described as a reason for cat lovers and dating-app fans rejoice, but it seems to be better known due to the mass of Facebook invites everyone has.
One seemingly naive MeowChat user even left a status saying: “Is it me or did Meow get a lot more popular?”
Why am I getting so many bloody notifications?
The App itself has been around for a year but is fast growing in popularity since it added a new random chat feature whereby tapping the orange cat (yes, I said cat, yes it’s weird) at the bottom of the app allows you to join a chatroom with other users.
Its popularity has been put down to its combination of WhatsApp/Facebook Messenger messaging (you can send text, images, or audio clips) and Tindr/Grindr-esque matching system. Yet it’s more likely down to the fact that MeowChat recently asked users who hadn’t already to send out invites to their Facebook friends, hence the sudden over-night popularity and an explanation for its trending on Twitter earlier this week.
Giving up and checking out MeowChat
MeowChat asks users to create a miniature profile by either importing information from Facebook or traditionally, through typing out your basic information. MeowChat then gets users to fill in their interests so it can find ‘compatible’ people for you to talk too, but if you don’t want to or, like in my case, can’t be asked too, it will work via your location just like Tinder.
Selfie gratification
MeowChat has upped the anti when it comes to social messaging, offering users a MeowChat score where users gain points when their pictures get ‘favourited’ or when they invite all their Facebook friends to install the app.
Basically you will be reimbursed with ‘points’ for that new selfie you spent hours perfecting or by bombarding your friends with unwanted spam. Not only will this reinforce those who value their self-worth by the number of facebook ‘likes’ their latest status or profile pic got, it will encourage it.
MeowChat just seems to be another app that reinforces the self-absorbed society we seem to be living in since the raise of the word ‘selfie’ as an actual, you know, word.
Parents beware
Like most dating apps it attracts a “Work hard, play even harder :p” attitude, perfect for that Saturday night booty call, but not so much for all the thirteen year olds joining in the fun after school.
That’s right, you only have to be 13 to sign up for MeowChat and even that is not externally verified so a child simply has to lie to be granted access. Children should not be using an app where users are already having to post “do not ask for nudes” in the profiles, 13 or not.
Here’s what people have been saying about MeowChat:
People who have even the tiniest bit of self respect wouldn’t send ‘meow chat’ invites
— Ed Lever (@edlever) July 29, 2014
Another Meow Chat notification ? You gotta be kitten me.
— Laura O Connor (@Laurasaurus2000) July 29, 2014
“Cam and 29 others invited you to try meow chat” pic.twitter.com/jySYc4Zdrt
— (@gregaarrss_x) July 29, 2014
This seems relatable #MeowChat pic.twitter.com/O2SWfZlvSj
— Force-7 (@force7tweets) July 29, 2014
Security issues
MeowChat does tell people to “never send or request inappropriate images” and users can choose to make their profiles private, but we’ve seen from the likes of SnapChat that these rules get ignored, people abuse it, and eventually a private image will end up online.
A final comment
If you hadn’t guessed, I’m not a fan. I’m a fan of cats, I mean who doesn’t enjoy a good cat meme? Yet not even their allure has me wanting to use this app. In fact now I’ve discovered what all the fuss was about, I’m deleting it.
What do you think of MeowChat? Love it or hate it, we want to know in the comments below.
Photos: MeowChat
