What would Jane Austen’s matriarchal figures make of dating apps? The ability for today’s potential lovers to exchange messages without the need for formal introductions or chaperones would make Mrs Bennet quail. Happily, Tinder has introduced a new service that lets parents once again meddle in their children’s love lives — before suitors even meet.
Tinder Matchmaker lets users seek opinions from family and friends about prospective dates before deciding whether to meet.
Users of the app set up a profile featuring pictures and basic details, then can view a succession of potential partners’ profiles to connect with (by swiping right on a phone screen) or decline (swiping left). Suitors who both independently express an interest in one another are notified of a match and given the opportunity to chat.
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The new service means a user can share other people’s profiles with up to 15 friends, inviting judgment — and perhaps scorn — at images of men holding up fish they have apparently caught and women with artfully sculpted eyebrows.
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Tinder says the feature means that “besties and grandmas” can “act as your personal Cupid”, with friends given 24 hours to signal their approval on profiles. The user will then be informed how many of their friends approve.
“The Tinder user still makes the final call on who to like but now knows who their friends are rooting for,” the company said.
An advert features the rapper Coi Leray sitting on a throne in judgment as suitors compete for the attentions of a woman named Lauren. The first candidate is rejected after being asked what streaming services he has, replying: “Just the ones from my parents and my ex’s parents.”
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Another is swiped away for introducing himself with the words: “Lauren, you got my heart soarin’.”
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The final candidate refers to the cliché of men who try to impress potential partners by posing with a fish they have caught. “The only fish you’ll see in my hands is sushi,” he says. He is given the nod by Leray and other characters who approve of his cheekbones and his assurance that he has a bed rather than a mattress on a floor.
Leray said the feature was an extension of people handing their phones to friends to inspect suitors. “Obviously you want your friends to like whoever you’re crushing on, and Tinder Matchmaker is a fun way to get the bestie seal of approval even before the match,” she said.
The company found that 75 per cent of single people discussed their dating life with friends more than once a month. Friends will not be required to download the app to offer their advice.
Melissa Hobley, Tinder’s chief marketing officer, said: “Tinder Matchmaker brings your circle of trust into your dating journey and helps you see the possibilities you might be overlooking from the perspective of those closest to you.”
Tinder, which claims to be the most downloaded dating app, faces increasing competition from rivals such as Hinge and Bumble. Whether the feature will make for better relationships is uncertain. Mrs Bennet’s supervision of her daughters’ matches in Pride and Prejudice failed to prevent Lydia, the youngest sister, falling for the unsuitable Mr Wickham.
