OkCupid, Tinder team with White House to boost COVID-19 vaccinations
"We've finally found the one thing that makes us all more attractive -- a vaccination," says a White House senior adviser.
- She has a master's degree in journalism from Syracuse University.
Match Group apps and the White House want you to get vaccinated.
Getting vaccinated might help you land a date. Match Group dating apps like OkCupid, Tinder, Hinge, Match, Plenty of Fish, BLK and Chispa are partnering with the White House to encourage people to get vaccinated against COVID-19, according to statements Friday.
On OkCupid starting May 24, those with the "I'm Vaccinated" profile badge will get a boost in visibility and be features in the platform's Vaccine Stack, which allows daters to search for matches by specific categories.
"While our users have continued to connect virtually over the past year, they're really eager to return to in-person dating as the summer approaches -- and we want to help them make those connections safely," OkCupid CEO Ariel Charytan said in a statement.
In a press briefing Friday from the White House COVID-19 Response Team, Andy Slavitt, the senior adviser for that team, noted that these sites cater to more than 50 million people in the US.
"We've finally found the one thing that makes us all more attractive -- a vaccination," said Slavitt.
Those who haven't been vaccinated will be directed to resources to help them find a vaccination site. OkCupid also said that those on the platform who have already said they've been vaccinated or plan to get vaccinated average about 14% more matches than those who haven't.
Tinder will also help daters find vaccine sites. Those on the platform can display stickers that say "I'm Vaccinated" or "Vaccines Save Lives." If they participate between June 2 and July 4, they'll also get a Super Like, which is normally a paid feature you can use if you really want to express that you like a profile.
Other Match Group apps are offering similar incentives to daters. The campaign comes as the Biden administration has set a goal of having 70% of Americans vaccinated by July 4. It also comes as people are coming up with new ways to spur people to get vaccinated. Ohio and New York, for instance, are rolling out lotteries for those who get their shots.