• Katana314@lemmy.world
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    19 hours ago

    I’ve been curious if a government-run dating app could do better - if its goal is to achieve genuine engagement, not cycles of frustration that boost subscription rates.

    This is one of many subjects where capitalist concern ruins the product (and that’s not even something I say as often as others on Lenny)

    • haui@lemmy.giftedmc.com
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      11 hours ago

      You said capitalism and summoned your resident anticapitalist. How can I be of assistance, comrade. :D

      • captainlezbian@lemmy.world
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        9 hours ago

        Looking for an anticapitalist on lemmy is like looking for a lesbian at a Teagan and Sara concert. It’s not everybody, but it’s not a difficult search

    • kadup@lemmy.world
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      18 hours ago

      Honestly, 90% of the need for dating apps would vanish if people had more free time away from work and well-kept public spaces for entertainment that didn’t expect you to purchase anything.

      So rather than a government-run dating app, how about a government-sanctioned 4 day work week and well kept public parks?

      • Lifecoach5000@lemmy.world
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        14 hours ago

        I don’t know if I buy that. I think people simply like hiding behind a screen for many interactions these days - including dating.

        Not that Im against your idea but maybe just the 90% part seems inflated.

        • kadup@lemmy.world
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          14 hours ago

          Perhaps, but we would need to put the idea in practice to determine what’s the cause/effect relationship here.

          Are people more addicted to their screens because the real world became hostile, or is the real world becoming hostile because people are glued to their screens?

          I’d bet on the first option, but I could be wrong.

        • Kage520@lemmy.world
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          14 hours ago

          I love my screen time but if there was free ping pong somewhere outside or something I’d go there a lot. Same for rock climbing, board game spaces… I’d get out for a lot. Screen time is a cheap substitute for this real stuff.

      • JoeBigelow@lemmy.ca
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        17 hours ago

        But who makes the profit in your silly goose scenario? Somebody has to be making money or it’s a terrible idea!

    • turtlesareneat@discuss.online
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      18 hours ago

      I run a social club for gay men, and we’ve talked about coming up with an app that’s run by a non-profit, with social workers on the board, that’s designed to actually connect people, not keep them glued to the app. Friendship, dates, activity partners, whatever.

      I don’t know why no one has come up with the non-profit model here but if I can get enough steam, we’re doing it.

      • okmko@lemmy.world
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        15 hours ago

        But even non-profits need to pay for operating costs like salary and cloud fees. Where would you get the funding for that?

        • JoeBigelow@lemmy.ca
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          16 hours ago

          The app doesn’t need to be free, and the revenue stream won’t dry up if it actually works because people break up, and there are so many fucking people that even in a zero sum scenario it would take forever to reach saturation.

          • okmko@lemmy.world
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            14 hours ago

            Sorry if I come off like a butthole but I’m both curious yet dubious of the idea. I feel like people probably have thought about it but they probably ran into the same problems you’ll run into.

            You didn’t quite answer my question. Where are you getting revenue? Eg. Subscription, one-time fees for X, grants, investments, etc?

            Duallingo started like a non-profit but even their revenue with its massive userbase couldn’t cover their expenses so they had to compromise hard to keep the lights on. The same happened to Coffee Meets Bagel. Hinge started with the same premise of “this app is meant to be deleted” but they also had to compromise and eventually sold to Match Group.

            Also, I feel like gay men are a unique demographic that has higher that average engagement so Grindr is probably in a uniquely advantaged position to resist enshitification.

            I guess I’m just saying it’s probably in practice a cost center like city infrastructure or schools or research, so it might only work without heavy compromises if it’s also funded by taxes.

        • Blackmist@feddit.uk
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          14 hours ago

          That’s how it’ll end up though.

          Although with all the Nazism going on in Silicon Valley, there’s a good chance that’s what they’ve been attempting all along.