Tinder Adds ‘Matchmaker’ Tool That Lets Family & Friends Pick Your Date

Instead of handing over the smartphone to a friend to sift through the local dating pool and choose one’s next date, why not invite them directly to Tinder to do the picking?

That’s what the online dating application is doing by introducing Tinder Matchmaker—a new feature that allows friends and family to play a more active role in helping users find potential matches on the platform.

The idea behind the latest feature is to bring the age-old tradition of discussing your dating life with friends into the digital age.

According to a recent survey conducted by the firm, more than 75% of singles admitted to talking about their dating experiences with friends multiple times a month.

Matchmaker aims to leverage this trend by allowing one’s closest pals—or even grandma—to act as a personal cupid.

Users can now invite members of their posse, whether or not they have a Tinder profile, to view and suggest potential matches. This adds an interesting twist to modern dating by essentially integrating the “friend test” directly into the experience.

After initiating a Tinder Matchmaker session directly from a profile card or within the application, an individual can share your unique link with up to 15 friends during a 24-hour period.

Friends and family who follow the link can either log in to Tinder or continue as guests, with an entire day to play cupid. They can browse profiles and suggest potential matches, but they won’t be able to chat or send messages on one’s behalf.

Once the recommendation period ends, the owner of the account will get to review the profiles the matchmakers chose, marked as ‘recommendations’. Ultimately, the individual still has the final say.

This new feature is already available in several countries, including the United States, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and more. Tinder plans to roll it out globally in the coming months.

“For years, singles have asked their friends to help find their next match on Tinder,  and now we’re making that so easy with Tinder Matchmaker," said Melissa Hobley, chief marketing officer at Tinder.

“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.”

[via Engadget and TechCrunch, cover image via Tinder]