6 ms·

Of course, also Tinder's profit is directly dependant on you not finding a partner, so you continue to use their service.

briga 5y ago
This is really apparent in their “Top Picks” feature. They give you a list of people the algorithm thinks you will like, but you’re only allowed to check out one of them in free mode. Even though apparently these people are a great match for you they do not show up in the course of regular swiping. Which makes it obvious that Tinder is keeping a holdout set of people it thinks you are compatible with and never shows them to you. Using that app is akin to using a slot machine, and I suspect the algorithms they use for doling out rewards are very similar.
- mushyhammer 5y ago
  I think you got that wrong. Top Picks appear to be people who are picked the most, not because I would personally like them. Most of the time I like none of them even if they obviously have a “good” profile (sexy photos, no bio)
  - climb_stealth 5y ago
    Funny you say that. When I was using Tinder I assumed that sexy photos and no profile description or bio were bots or scams. I completely ignored them. Also, if someone can't be bothered to even write a single word. Meh.
    - williamscales 5y ago
      You must consider, it does telegraph a certain desperation to bother to write a bio. Tinder is 100% about looks.
      - mushyhammer 5y ago
        I wouldn’t go as far as to say it’s 100% about looks. I skip women without a bio because they’re usually the most boring.
Xavdidtheshadow 5y ago
They have to strike an interesting balance- enough people have to find romantic success on the app (and tell their friends) to get new users, but not be so successful that too many users stop using the app.
- guskel 5y ago
  Or they utilize underhanded guerilla marketing techniques to push propaganda all over the web that the app is more useful than it actually is.
Razengan 5y ago
Dating, matchmaking, or even just finding friends, is a perfect problem space that is just ripe for a free service to come and try to solve. Why isn’t there a free platform for dating? (not counting the subreddits and FB groups for that, because they’re retooling something else, not built from the ground up to solve problems specific to this space). It’s one of the biggest social issues imo, especially in cultures that restrict or repress dating in meatspace, or places with uneven demographics (e.g. there are literally millions of more men than women out there, which means that many will inevitably “die alone”) If more people could find a suitable partner or even just compatible friends, it would make the world a much better place, if only by reducing misery (and spurring the economy :) Why isn’t anyone else stepping in besides the wolves that just prey upon loneliness and desperation?
- hombre_fatal 5y ago
  fwiw facebook does have a free dating component. though you don’t have to pay for tinder, and certainly not to have success.
- Dma54rhs 5y ago
  Facebook does have a free dating inside their regular FB app.
  - Wiseacre 5y ago
    They are incentivized to maximize engagement just like Tinder. Seems like an awfully ripe place for abuse. Dating should not be handled by a for-profit company.
  - HWR_14 5y ago
    His question: Why isn't someone doing something to alleviate misery and a societal problem? Provided answer: Create a Facebook account.
- Beltalowda 5y ago
  meetup.com is probably the closest service; although not for dating specifically, meet enough people and sooner or later you'll meet a partner (and if you don't, you usually still have a good time). They don't do a stellar job, but it's okay. Dating specifically is a pretty difficult problem space because of the creeps, abusers, asynchronicity of the experience of men and women, etc. This is also a problem in non-dating; for example every city where I've attended Couchsurfing meetups there was at least one "creepy guy", and almost every women I've talked to for some length had at least one story. Plus, it also depends on the "network effect"; why is everyone on Tinder? Because everyone is on Tinder! couchsurfing.com is a badly run platform but none of the alternatives have taken off because there just aren't that many people there.

briga 5y ago

This is really apparent in their “Top Picks” feature. They give you a list of people the algorithm thinks you will like, but you’re only allowed to check out one of them in free mode. Even though apparently these people are a great match for you they do not show up in the course of regular swiping. Which makes it obvious that Tinder is keeping a holdout set of people it thinks you are compatible with and never shows them to you. Using that app is akin to using a slot machine, and I suspect the algorithms they use for doling out rewards are very similar.

mushyhammer 5y ago
I think you got that wrong. Top Picks appear to be people who are picked the most, not because I would personally like them. Most of the time I like none of them even if they obviously have a “good” profile (sexy photos, no bio)
- climb_stealth 5y ago
  Funny you say that. When I was using Tinder I assumed that sexy photos and no profile description or bio were bots or scams. I completely ignored them. Also, if someone can't be bothered to even write a single word. Meh.
  - williamscales 5y ago
    You must consider, it does telegraph a certain desperation to bother to write a bio. Tinder is 100% about looks.
    - mushyhammer 5y ago
      I wouldn’t go as far as to say it’s 100% about looks. I skip women without a bio because they’re usually the most boring.

Xavdidtheshadow 5y ago

They have to strike an interesting balance- enough people have to find romantic success on the app (and tell their friends) to get new users, but not be so successful that too many users stop using the app.

guskel 5y ago
Or they utilize underhanded guerilla marketing techniques to push propaganda all over the web that the app is more useful than it actually is.

Razengan 5y ago

Dating, matchmaking, or even just finding friends, is a perfect problem space that is just ripe for a free service to come and try to solve. Why isn’t there a free platform for dating? (not counting the subreddits and FB groups for that, because they’re retooling something else, not built from the ground up to solve problems specific to this space). It’s one of the biggest social issues imo, especially in cultures that restrict or repress dating in meatspace, or places with uneven demographics (e.g. there are literally millions of more men than women out there, which means that many will inevitably “die alone”) If more people could find a suitable partner or even just compatible friends, it would make the world a much better place, if only by reducing misery (and spurring the economy :) Why isn’t anyone else stepping in besides the wolves that just prey upon loneliness and desperation?

hombre_fatal 5y ago
fwiw facebook does have a free dating component. though you don’t have to pay for tinder, and certainly not to have success.
Dma54rhs 5y ago
Facebook does have a free dating inside their regular FB app.
- Wiseacre 5y ago
  They are incentivized to maximize engagement just like Tinder. Seems like an awfully ripe place for abuse. Dating should not be handled by a for-profit company.
- HWR_14 5y ago
  His question: Why isn't someone doing something to alleviate misery and a societal problem? Provided answer: Create a Facebook account.
Beltalowda 5y ago
meetup.com is probably the closest service; although not for dating specifically, meet enough people and sooner or later you'll meet a partner (and if you don't, you usually still have a good time). They don't do a stellar job, but it's okay. Dating specifically is a pretty difficult problem space because of the creeps, abusers, asynchronicity of the experience of men and women, etc. This is also a problem in non-dating; for example every city where I've attended Couchsurfing meetups there was at least one "creepy guy", and almost every women I've talked to for some length had at least one story. Plus, it also depends on the "network effect"; why is everyone on Tinder? Because everyone is on Tinder! couchsurfing.com is a badly run platform but none of the alternatives have taken off because there just aren't that many people there.