If you hadn’t noticed by now, there’s a presidential election going on in the U.S.
And while many millennial-aged Americans may know who they’re definitely NOT voting for (hint: Donald Trump), that’s not much use when it comes to marking their ballot on November 8, 2016.
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So help is at hand in the form of our good friend, Tinder. Not just a facilitator of regrettable hook-ups, unsolicited dick pics, and the general demise of old-fashioned romance, the dating app is now getting all political on us too.
Pairing up with Rock the Vote to form Swipe the Vote, Tinder is inviting users in the U.S. to answer a series of questions about key topics affecting the election in an effort to encourage them to register to vote (if they haven’t already).
Tinder
When users log in and begin swiping they will see a video card, which they can click on to begin a 10 question poll on policy. This will ask them about a series of stances, including minimum wage and same-sex marriage. If they agree with them they can swipe right in usual Tinder fashion, or left if they’re just not feeling that point of view.
Do people really want to think about politics when they’re trying to get laid? For many people, probably not. But if you still have romantic aspirations about the sex-swiping app, and are not yet resigned to the fact that it is pretty much a booty-call tool, then perhaps it could be a very useful enterprise in the long-term.
Sharing political preferences hasn’t always been welcomed. Female fans who were “feeling the Bern” used Tinder to campaign for Bernie Sanders after matching with guys on the app. This was banned, but Tinder’s CEO Sean Rad gave them credit for the beginning of this idea, recognizing the unique ways they used the platform to talk about politics.
Being able to share your political biases with others on Tinder would certainly help to weed out anyone who seemed like a “fun-loving 29-year-old who works in accounts and loves long walks on the beach,” but is actually a gun-toting Trump advocate, or an “easygoing 32-year-old sales rep who loves ALL types of cuisine” but is decidedly more discerning when it comes to who can and cannot get married.
Canadians, who may not have an election on the horizon, could still profit from some sort of dating filter that let us know now rather than later if our hook-up shares the same personal beliefs. We might not categorize ourselves as being active in politics, or strongly on the side of Conservatives or Liberals, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t red flags and deal-breakers lurking behind the nude pics and small talk.
What if Tinder dating suddenly gets serious and we introduce the new guy to our friends only to discover (very publicly) that he has terrifying opinions on immigration? Because, oddly enough, these aren’t always issues that come up when you’re idly chatting at the bar about how many brothers and sisters you have and your Blue Jays predictions for the upcoming season.
Political awareness doesn’t have to be worn as a badge of honour or shoved down our throats, but key points could save us busy millennials a lot of time – and a lot of swiping.
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