Tinder Could Change The Way People Talk About Politics
Tinder is a popular hookup app. It’s the last place where you consider talking to someone about politics, but it turns out that Tinder could change the way we talk about politics. In data pulled from the British election, the New York Times revealed that the app’s user base is willing to talk about politics rather than sex. The Times set up a chatbot to observe users’ profiles and noticed that many of them would be willing to talk about the British election, Brexit, and other political issues that took place leading up to the election. Keep in mind that the Times was only observing British Tinder users.
It’s not clear whether Tinder users in the U.S. would be more willing to talk about politics. In these turbulent times, it seems like the country is divided. People are using Tinder to have a good time without debates or strings attached. It’s very unlikely that most of them are looking to talk about world issues. However, the Times created a chatbot that targeted U.K. voters between the ages of 18 and 25. During the experiment, the outlet found that the users were willing to discuss who they voted for in the election.
The volunteers loaned out their Facebook and Tinder profiles for this experiment. They could stop the chatbot to speak with their match at any time. The New York Times found that they often were most of the time willing to talk about the election. It made the Times realize that Tinder could be used for more than just meaningless hookups. It can be a tool to create a conversation about what’s going on in the world.
These findings also mean that Tinder could influence the upcoming U.S. elections. If Britain’s young voters were willing to talk about who they voted for, there’s a chance that U.S. voters could feel the same way. Nothing is taboo or off limits on Tinder. Users are more willing to discuss politics on there rather than at the bar or on the street. The Times also realized that it’s often easy to convince a user to vote for the opposing political party.
“Tinder is an intimate medium. When you’re on your way home from work and someone stops you in the street, you’re busy: You don’t want to listen. But on Tinder, people want to talk, and they talk candidly,” the Times writes.
This finding comes months after competitor OkCupid claims it wants to be less like Tinder and become even more political than it already was, reports TechCrunch. The online dating app rolled out its latest version in February that includes more questions about the 2016 U.S. elections and politics in general. It helps users to get to know someone’s personality and to decide whether they make a good match or not. There are also more questions on dating, religion, sex, and lifestyle choices.
What are your thoughts? Do you think online dating apps like Tinder and OkCupid could change the way we date and discuss politics? Sound off below in the comments section.
[Featured Image by Leon Neal/Getty Images]
