Obviously, most singles would much rather a wholesome meet-cute experience like we see in the movies. You know, the one where you accidentally bump heads, spilling coffee over one another, exchanging numbers and living happily ever after. But let’s face it, this is not reality (unless perhaps you’re brimming with confidence and oozing effortless charm). No, most of us – myself include – are in our dating-app era. The apps have their advantages: shopping for your next beau from the comfort of your own bed, sussing-out whether people have enough game to endure a few drinks on a date, assessing warning flags via the protection of your device, so why not use them to our advantage?
I was in university when Tinder launched in 2012. It was an exciting way of dating like we’d never seen before, it felt less serious than the old-school dating sites and more accessible. I even have some friends who met their now-husbands on Tinder.
We all go through dating periods where we have the apps, delete the apps, redownload the apps, decide we’re going to try meeting people IRL, decide we’re not going to date at all, stick to just one app, use all the apps possible and so on. The dating wave is tumultuous, whether you’ve exited a long-term relationship or just been aggressively thrusted out of another situationship, so the dating pool is always daunting to dip your toes into again.
I was in my very temporary no-app era when I decided to give Tinder a redownload after a five-year hiatus.
What I love about Tinder is that it’s not so focused on getting you off the app and encouraging you to find your soulmate. It doesn’t have that pressure. Tinder, I feel, has always supported members on whatever dating journey they desire. If you want to meet your life partner, great. If you just want to meet a new group of friends at a house party, great. If you want to schedule a fun and spicy evening with a glass of wine and pub quiz, great! There’s never any judgement from Tinder, which might be why its core audience is people navigating their early 20s – and it’s the number one dating app in the UK.
The user experience is like how I remember, but has definitely evolved. I recall it, pretty much, just being profile pictures inviting mindless swiping but now you can add interests, bio details, relationship intent and lifestyle choices. And I was impressed by the members on Tinder – I had a few nice conversations with some kind and charming people. I found the users tended to be less crude than they used to be, and there seemed to be many more people on the app hunting for the real deal, making an effort to impress with their opening messages. SO refreshing! One guy’s opening message was: ‘Is it a requirement in your industry for a visual editor to be visually attractive or is it just a coincidence that you are?’ Although I may be the visual editor, this isn’t a humble brag from me. It shows that he studied my profile and came up with a witty and flirty message – A* for him.
What impressed me most about using Tinder this time round was its new safety features. I had a minor negative comment from one man. Sadly, these types of comments aren’t uncommon for women, especially single women on and off dating apps. Tinder, though, facilitated this perfectly, as I was able to block and report his inappropriate behaviour instantly. Tinder also now allows you to block users before you match with them – ideal if you see an ex or boss on the app.
There’s also a new ‘are you sure?’ pop-up feature that uses AI to detect harmful language and proactively intervenes to warn senders that a message might be offensive before they hit send. On the other end, there’s a ‘does this bother you?’ pop-up to provide support to members if they’ve received a harmful message. It’s encouraged and empowered members to report bad behaviour by 46% since it was introduced. With Tinder Plus, you can go into incognito mode, so you can actively use the app, but only people you like will be able to view you. The dating whirlpool may be boisterous, but Tinder has all the tools to help you stay afloat, safely.
While I have previously used the app, I don’t think I’ve ever been on a Tinder date. A week in, there could be one or two dates on the cards, so who knows what the future holds, but I feel reassured about dating IRL via Tinder as it has enabled happy, healthy and safe communication. You know what, I don’t think I’m going to delete it quite yet.
Discover more and download the Tinder app at tinder.com
