Tinder, the simple dating app that makes picking a lover as easy as swiping left or right, announced a new pricing policy for its premium version earlier this month. Tinder Plus lets you undo an errant negative swipe, browse unlimited Tinder profiles, and look beyond your vicinity to hit on Tinder users the world over.
So far so good.
But here’s the rub: if you’re still rocking the fresh-faced glow of your 20s, cheeks rosy with the blush of opportunity and secure in the knowledge that anything is possible, Tinder Plus will cost you a cool $9.99. That’s not much at all to take back that no swipe on the dude who, after a few whiskey sours, is actually pretty adorable, right? But if you’ve got a birthdate before March 10, 1985, over 30 and filled with the serenity that comes from no longer giving a single damn about any of the nonsense that seemed so important in your 20s, well, you’re going to pay more: $10 more, to be exact.
First, can we all take a second to fully appreciate that people born in 1985 are 30 now? OK, shake it off. Back to the point: Is this pricing difference fair? Should singles who’ve lived longer have to pay $19.99 for a service that costs people between 18-29 just $9.99?
In this WIRED Opinion Point-Counterpoint, we hear from two Tinder users who answer that question very differently.
Tinder’s New Tinder Plus Pricing Is Ageist, Pure and Simple
Writer, teacher, and single mother Dani Burlison argues Tinder’s policy is the kind of discriminatory and belittling crap society throws at men and women once they’re considered “over the hill.”
It’s Not Ageism, It’s Capitalism. But It’s Still Stupid
Social media consultant and adjunct professor Jeff Gibbard argues Tinder is doing exactly what companies in the free market do: price differentiate to make money. It’s not ageism, he says, it’s just a poorly thought-out policy.
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