A California court has ruled that Tinder Plus’ higher price model for users over 30 is discriminatory, following a wave of complaints.
According to Quartz, “Tinder Plus is a premium service introduced by online-dating app Tinder in March 2015. It grants users unlimited swipes and lets them do things like change their location, undo their most recent swipe, and ‘Super Like’ multiple potential matches a day.”
Though the service is priced at $9.99 a month in the United States for those under 30, those older than 30 are forced to pay an extra $10.00.
“The stated rationale was that older users could afford to pay more. Left unstated: They might also be a little more desperate,” Quartz proclaimed.
Following complaints, a California appeals court ruled this month that “Tinder Plus used a discriminatory pricing model that made an ‘arbitrary, class-based generalization’ about the incomes of older users.”
This comes after the service was previously deemed to be acceptable in court “because it was based on market research.”
“No matter what Tinder’s market research may have shown about the younger users’ relative income and willingness to pay for the service, as a group, as compared to the older cohort, some individuals will not fit the mold,” declared the court. “Some older consumers will be ‘more budget constrained’ and less willing to pay than some in the younger group… Accordingly, we swipe left, and reverse.”
Last year, Tinder became the highest grossing app on Apple’s App Store because of Tinder Plus, overtaking Netflix, Candy Crush, Clash of the Clans, Gardenscapes, and Pokemon Go.
The app has faced numerous security concerns, however, with numerous firms pointing out security flaws which create potential spying risks.
In November, Tinder was also listed among other popular apps in a report that claimed they had been secretly tracking users.
Charlie Nash is a reporter for Breitbart Tech. You can follow him on Twitter @MrNashington, or like his page at Facebook.
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