Private party app downloaded from the App Store by Apple

Despite over 82 million cases and over 1.75 million deaths due to COVID-19, many people are bound and determined to continue with a normal life. For some, it includes attending Saturday nights, just as they did in the Before Times. Reports of another secret party being broken by law enforcement have become uncomfortably common.

Getting guests to these secret parties is at least a little harder now that Apple has downloaded Vybe Together ̵

1; an app with a tagline that invited users to “get their party on” – from the App Store. The Verge pointed out that the app had largely flown under the radar until a tweet from Taylor Lorenz of the New York Times led to some unwelcome but much-needed scrutiny of the app. One of Lorenz’s tweets highlighted Vybe Together’s TikTok account, which had posted videos of masked people partying indoors while announcing New Year’s Eve. According to Business Insider, TikTok has since removed the Vybe Together account for violating the Community Guidelines.

Frequently asked questions about Vybe Together at least acknowledged the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are aware that Covid is a major health problem for the country, our communities, our friends and family. If we could all just be in isolation, this could actually disappear.” So far so good.

“Having large companies is very dangerous,” the FAQ continued. “That’s why we do not support it. But Vybe is a compromise, no big parties but small gatherings.”

The problem is that in places like New York, where the app advertised, the number of people from different households can be safely gathered indoors and unmasked zero. The behavior Vybe together encouraged is inherently dangerous, both for the participants and those they live with.

A spokesperson explained that the app was really meant for small gatherings. “Vybe Together was [a minimum viable product] designed to help other people organize small gatherings in parks or apartments under COVID, “the spokesman told The Verge. We have never hosted large parties, and we made an over-the-top marketing video that gave a false impression of our intentions, which have since been removed. We do not tolerate large insecure parties during a pandemic. “

They only agree to have small, insecure parties.