‘Dating’ just got a whole lot easier for gay men with the new iPhone app Grindr, a dating application that alerts users of potential partners in the area through GPS technology. The new app allows users to create personal profiles that are automatically ‘pushed’ to other Grindr users within a prescribed area with an invitation to interact. The program is aimed at solving what Grindr creator Joel Simkhai describes as "[the] missed connections and missed opportunities that all of us have every day". A romantic notion indeed, and one that is endemic of modernity where busy and fragmented lifestyles often lead to isolation and loneliness. However, there is something about Grindr that rubs me the wrong way as sleazy, low ball, and completely unromantic. More specifically, that while the program can facilitate genuine human connections, Grindr may just devolve as a digital version of the faceless bathroom stall etched with a name, number, time, and penis size, a trend that is becoming apparent. While there are censors in place to screen content placed on Grindr, there is still a multitude of user profile pages to choose from that consist of abs and old dudes in S & M gear asking others to "pop down my throat". I don’t mean to over generalize, and I apologize if I do, but the gay ‘hook-up’ culture is anything but romantic, in fact its pretty grimey, which is perfectly understandable when both participants are men and usually have libidos that rage like women with PMS. In order for Grindr to have long lasting mainstream appeal it must stray from overemphasizing sex and remain conscious of the content that it hosts and the connections it facilitates. That would mean losing those 'clever' double entendres on the company webpage that position the app as "having no strings attached" and where "size matters". Grindr would also need to implement stringent identification policies to further ensure safe use and properly educate its users of the risks that are present when placing personal information on the web, especially when sensitive information such as location can be gleaned. Unfortunately, we do not live in an especially welcoming and tolerant world, and much in the way Craigslist has been used to facilitate sex crimes against women, Grindr, if similarly left unchecked, could be used to target the gay community. Despite these concerns, Grindr is gaining in popularity. Though it might now skew towards engendering casual relationships and flings, Mr Simkhai does believe Grindr usage can evolve and mature in the near future. However let’s hope he first takes the right steps and implements proper safeguards to protect the program and its users.
Excellent points!