The online dating portal Tinder has a turbulent history behind it. Since Jonathan Badeen, Sean Rad and Justin Mateen founded the app in 2012 in a start-up workshop of the Internet group IAC, Tinder has evolved from a portal for short sex dates into a platform for singles with very different intentions. Tinder has arrived in mainstream society. After all, it is no longer unusual for serious connections or relationships to develop through Tinder.
Despite this development, the principle on which Tinder’s success is based is still the same. The app is structured like a computer game and presents the user with an endless selection of singles in the immediate vicinity. The focus is on the profile pictures of the users. If you like the first impression, swipe to the right. With a left swipe, the user is never displayed again. It’s this digital gesture that made the app a global success and is still used as a flagship by the company. If two users find each other attractive, a so-called “match” occurs. The two can now write and arrange a date.
“We met on Tinder” is the norm today
Tinder revolutionized dating. If a few years ago the phrase “We met through Tinder” was viewed with a strange eye, today online dating is more the rule than the exception. The thought that there are only funny characters or marriage swindlers on the Internet has long since vanished. After ten years, the app has recorded 500 million downloads and over 70 billion matches. On average, four billion people swipe every day.
Even though Tinder was already a great success before the global Covid 19 pandemic, the app has seen rapid development, especially in the last two years. The fear of infection and strict contact restrictions made it impossible for singles to get to know new people in their everyday lives. Single people in particular struggled with loneliness. Given these circumstances, it is not surprising that around 52 percent more messages were sent at the beginning of the pandemic than before. For under-25s, the rate of swipes increased by 39 percent during that time.
Tinder itself has also done a lot over the years to shed its sleazy image. You can now use the “Explore” function to search for like-minded people based on hobbies and preferences. In addition, the app has taken a number of steps to prevent harassment as much as possible. Recently, it is no longer possible for a former partner to be displayed. If you want to be absolutely sure, you can only display profiles of verified users.
“Bumble” and Co.: The competition never sleeps
Nevertheless, Tinder is anything but undisputed. After all, the app has not only changed the way people get to know each other, but also the attitude towards life of many users. People are suggested that if a first date doesn’t go smoothly, there will be a multitude of people just waiting to get in touch. The pressure for a quick match and the resulting superficiality remains a thorn in the side of many users.
Since the success of Tinder, a number of competitors with different concepts have appeared in the online dating market. For example, the probably biggest competitor “Bumble” also includes a swipe function. However, when it comes to straight matches, it’s the women who have to make the first move. One of the oldest dating sites, “OkCupid,” combines the Tinder swipe gesture with its question-based system to identify compatible profiles. Mobile apps such as “Grindr” and “Her” are primarily aimed at homosexual, bisexual and transsexual people. Even if Tinder should become less popular at some point – online dating has long been a concept with a future.
Source: Stern
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