Dating Apps Adapt to Rising Demand for Political Features

As the 2024 U.S. presidential election approaches, political alignment is becoming a significant factor in dating, particularly among younger generations. Match Group sponsored an event last month run by Axios that dove into the politics of dating, based on research conducted by The Harris Poll.

It was noted that women often refrain from directly asking men about their political beliefs, fearing vague responses. Instead, they may employ “proximity questions,” such as opinions on current events like COVID-19 or popular culture, to gauge potential partners’ political views indirectly. This is obviously an indicator of a desire to avoid mismatched political stances, but also to protect oneself by not bringing the question up outright.

Melissa Hobley, Tinder’s chief marketing officer, further underscored the importance of political engagement among singles, noting that awareness and participation in local elections are significant factors in romantic compatibility.

Harris Poll’s research also found that 28% of Gen Z and millennials have broken up with somebody due to their political beliefs not matching, and that roughly half of either right-wingers or left-wingers would date somebody of the opposing stance. 24% have been asked about politics on the first date, and around 16% have lied to secure the date.

While some people believe that politics and dating shouldn’t mix, it’s undeniable that they already have. Between Tinder’s Take Action Center and voter registration features to partnerships between Chispa and Voto Latino, more and more platforms are making politics a notable part of the dating experience. With the rapid approach of the 2024 elections, more platforms will likely encourage users to vote, or even add entirely new politics-driven features in the short-term.