Tinder is testing a HEIGHT filter - as devastated users say it's 'over for short men'

Daily Mail​

5 days ago

It's the go-to dating app for millions of people around the world.
But Tinder has sparked controversy this week, following the launch of its latest feature.
The dating app has quietly started testing a height filter.
Spotted within the Premium Discovery section of Tinder's Settings, the tool allows users to specify the minimum and maximum heights for their matches.
Posting a screenshot to Reddit, user @Extra_Barracudaaaa wrote: 'Oh God. They add a height filter.'
Some users have welcomed the tool with open arms, with one asking: 'Why is this a problem?'
'If someone liked a certain height, go for it. It also weeds out the peeps who dont like your height,' they continued.
However, others are less than impressed, with one sceptic tweeting: 'It's over for short men. What are they going to do now?'
It's the go-to dating app for millions of people around the world. But Tinder has sparked controversy this week, following the launch of its latest feature. The dating app has quietly started testing a height filter
Tinder users can already adjust several search preferences within the Discovery Settings - including age range, sexual orientation, and distance.
'Discovery is the part of Tinder where you see other people's profiles. You can adjust your search preferences and control who you see in Discovery by editing your Discovery Settings,' Tinder explains in its Help Centre.
However, users who subscribe to Tinder Platinum - a premier subscription tier starting at £16.67/month - have access to additional preferences.
This includes the new height option, as well as minimum number of photos, whether or not they have a bio, and specific interests.
Technically, these are 'preferences', rather than outright filters.
'Preferences show you people who match your vibe, but won't limit who you see - you'll still be able to match with people outside of your selections,' Tinder explained.
While Tinder did not widely announce the height tool, it confirmed to MailOnline that it is testing the paid option.
'We're always listening to what matters most to our Tinder users - and testing the paid height preference is a great example of how we're building with urgency, clarity, and focus,' a Tinder spokesperson told MailOnline.
One distraught users claimed it's 'over for short men' after spotting a screenshot of Tinder's new height filter
The tool has received a very mixed response across social media, with some welcoming the option
'I 1000% wouldn't have met my wife if this filter existed, I'm short (5'5') and definitely would have been filtered out immediately just by even a basic filter for 5'7'+ (slightly below average height and over). God speed to my fellow short kings. Glad to be out of it,' one user said
'This is part of a broader effort to help people connect more intentionally on Tinder.
'Our new product principles guide every decision, and this one speaks directly to a few: prioritizing user outcomes, moving fast, and learning quickly.
'Not every test becomes a permanent feature, but every test helps us learn how we can deliver smarter, more relevant experiences and push the category forward.'
The tool has received a mixed response across social media, with some welcoming the option.
'I honestly don't see what's so bad or wrong about this can someone explain?' one user asked.
Another added: 'It's a good thing. Not a bad thing. Now you can match with people whose standards you meet.'
And one wrote: 'Good. People have preferences and that's totally cool.'
However, other users were more cynical.
'I 1000% wouldn't have met my wife if this filter existed, I'm short (5'5') and definitely would have been filtered out immediately just by even a basic filter for 5'7'+ (slightly below average height and over). God speed to my fellow short kings. Glad to be out of it,' one user said.
Another added: 'When are they adding a weight filter so men can do the same thing for women?'
And one joked: 'Doesn't matter most people will probably lie about their height lol.'
The news comes shortly after it was revealed that women are using ChatGPT to c atch men lying about their heights on dating apps.
'Girls are using ChatGPT to see if men are lying about their height on dating apps,' said Justine Moore, a venture capitalist in San Francisco.
'Upload four pictures, it uses proportions and surroundings to estimate height.
'I tested it on 10 friends and family members – all estimates were within 1 inch of their real height.'
HOW DID ONLINE DATING BECOME SO POPULAR?
The first ever incarnation of a dating app can be traced back to 1995 when Match.com was first launched.
The website allowed single people to upload a profile, a picture and chat to people online.
The app was intended to allow people looking for long-term relationships to meet.
eHarmony was developed in 2000 and two years later Ashley Madison, a site dedicated to infidelity and cheating, was first launched.
A plethora of other dating sites with a unique target demographic were set up in the next 10-15 years including: OKCupid (2004), Plenty of Fish (2006), Grindr (2009) and Happn (2013).
In 2012, Tinder was launched and was the first 'swipe' based dating platform.
After its initial launch it's usage snowballed and by March 2014 there were one billion matches a day, worldwide.
In 2014, co-founder of Tinder, Whitney Wolfe Herd launched Bumble, a dating app that empowered women by only allowing females to send the first message.
The popularity of mobile dating apps such as Tinder, Badoo and more recently Bumble is attributable to a growing amount of younger users with a busy schedule.
In the 1990s, there was a stigma attached to online dating as it was considered a last-ditch and desperate attempt to find love.
This belief has dissipated and now around one third of marriages are between couples who met online.
A survey from 2014 found that 84 per cent of dating app users were using online dating services to look for a romantic relationship.