- Vybe Together, a “secret party app” in New York, used TikTok to promote a big New Year’s Eve event that apparently violated the CDC-recommended security protocol COVID-19.
- TikTok has removed the Vybe Together account for violating community guidelines.
- “We are aware that large gatherings are not in order and we do not promote them. If we see events being popular, we take it down!” a spokesman for Vybe Together told Business Insider in an email.
- Immunologists and health workers worry that New Year’s Eve parties could increase COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths
- Fellow party promotion company Eventbrite removed two major party offerings in San Francisco, via SF Gate, but sustained hundreds of other invitations.
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TikTok said it removed the account for Vybe Together, a ‘secret party app’ that used social media to promote large New Year’s Eve gatherings in New York City that apparently violated COVID-19 security protocols.
A Vybe Together video promoting ‘secret gatherings’ in New York City every weekend with videos of crowds of people indoors without wearing masks was viewed nearly 11,000 times before TikTok removed the account for violating its community guidelines. New York Times reporter Taylor Lorenz first spotted the app’s TikTok account.
—Taylor Lorenz (@TaylorLorenz) 29 December 2020
“We are like Eventbrite, but much cooler,” a Vybe Together spokesman told Business Insider in an email. “Vybe’s can be anything from board games to bachata with your neighbors. Many people were isolated and lonely and we wanted to enable them to meet each other. We are aware that large gatherings are not good and we do not promote them. If we see events are popular, we take it out! ‘
With Vybe Together, users can find and create private parties. Only members approved by Vybe Together can use the app.
After receiving criticism, Vybe Together removed his questions page, contact page and career page from his website. The only post left on the app on Instagram reads “blown by the media. We do not allow large meetings !!!” On the Vybe Together website, users are still asked, “Do you miss playing beer bong, flirting with strangers, and generally waving with the crew?” and invites them to: “Let your rebel go.”
Vybe Togeether
According to LinkedIn, Alexander Dimcevski, a Baruch college alum, put together an app called Trendies in January 2020, which was apparently renamed Vybe Together. The domain vybetogether.com was registered on September 14, 2020. Vybe Together did not respond to inquiries regarding the date of establishment, the head office or investors of the company.
According to its website, Vybe Together is owned by Chaparone Corporation, which registered Dimcevski on January 24, 2019 as a New York City business.
The Vybe Together app, which was first posted in the App Store four months ago, was quickly removed after Business Insider inquired at Apple about it. An Apple representative did not respond to a request for comment.
Immunologists and other experts are concerned that New Year’s Eve parties could increase COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths. More than 63,000 people died of COVID-19 in December, the deadliest month of the pandemic. Government Gavin Newsom has placed a home order in California as ICU capacity reached critical lows this month, causing overcrowded hospitals to have to place patients in gift shops.
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Researchers and experts on infectious diseases have found evidence that COVID-19 spreads faster indoors among maskless people, which can make small gatherings risky.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended staying home for New Year’s Eve. If Americans prefer to get together, the CDC said they wear masks, stay six feet apart, avoid crowds and avoid alcohol and shouting.
Fellow party promotion company Eventbrite removed two major party offerings in San Francisco, via SF Gate, but sustained hundreds of other invitations. Critics on social media called on Eventbrite to remove more listings due to the danger of COVID-19 transmission.
Eventbrite laid off 45% of its staff in April, Billboard reported due to the impact of the pandemic on the live event industry. Eventbrite had 73% less net revenue in the third quarter of 2020 than in the same period last year.
“The COVID-19 global pandemic is a very dynamic situation for everyone, including event creators, who are the host, facilitator and owner of the experiences on Eventbrite’s platform,” an Eventbrite spokesperson said in an email. told Business Insider. “Our community guidelines have always prohibited events that promote or contain illegal behavior, and our community plays an important role in reporting events or content.”
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Healthcare workers recently told Business Insider they expect COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations to climb after Christmas and New Year’s Eve, which could exacerbate the burnout among doctors and nurses.
“I’m pretty worried about the boom after the Christmas and New Year holidays,” San Francisco nurse Jason Harrison told Business Insider. “I saw no indication that the population was going to change or diminish its journey.”