The world of online dating has just become a lot more like the high school cafeteria: Because supermodels, celebrities, professional athletes, and rich CEOs are apparently above having to dip their well-heeled feet into the commoners’ dating pool, Tinder reportedly has a secret, members-only version of its app. Don’t feel too bad, we weren’t invited, either.
TechCrunch cites inside sources who say “Select” is only open to elite users, like super famous/hot/rich people who want all the fun of swiping around for a mate but none of the contact with average people you get with the regular app.
To join, Tinder has to invite you, though it appears that some users can then “nominate” others for an invitation, reports TechCrunch. However, if you were nominated by someone else, you won’t have that power once you join.
Though it’s unclear what kind of calculations Tinder uses to decide who gets to be a star-bellied Sneetch and who is a Sneetch without, TechCrunch notes that the Tinder Elo score, an algorithmic rating system across all Tinder users, could be a factor.
It seems as though Select users can switch back and forth between that version and the regular one — you know, in case there is a sudden shortage of super models. How will you know if you’re selected to be Select? A navy “S” button on the app should be a clue, as this reddit user reported seeing pop up in September:
Will Tinder Select become an official service, or will the company keep it on the down-low? It’s a good question, considering Select has existed for almost six months, TechCrunch points out, which could mean the company never meant to roll it out publicly at all, as doing so could possibly upset its not-extremely-hot-or-affluent user base.
by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist