OkCupid Doesn't Mind Bringing Politics Into Dating
*By Carlo Versano*
The old norms of social etiquette ー don't discuss politics or hot-button issues at the dinner table ー may be a thing of the past. And online dating site OKCupid is, in fact, putting those topics front and center.
About a year ago, when allegations of sexual misconduct by powerful men began circulating in the news almost daily, executives had what might seem like a novel idea. They added a new question to the company's membership survey: "Would you date someone who did not support the #MeToo movement?"
According to the company's chief marketing officer Melissa Hobley, nearly 80 percent of female respondents said lack of support was a "deal breaker." About 50 percent of men agreed.
The question is part of a long list OKCupid uses to distinguish itself from online dating services like Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble, designed to help users find better, more accurate matches. The questions range from the innocuous ("Do you generally smile at little kids who cross your path?"), to the silly ("What superpower would you like to have?"), to the substantive ("Are you happy with your life?").
The questionnaire is optional, but about half a million daters voluntarily chose to address #MeToo, and 37 percent said it was an "important" issue, Hobley said.
How much their answers to this specific question affected who they were ultimately matched with ー or whether they contributed to a lasting relationship ー is so far unknown, but the numbers certainly suggest that charged issues in the zeitgeist may affect who we choose to date.
Digging a little deeper is an approach that Hobley said goes "beyond the selfie" ー a bit of a dig at her competitors. Tinder, Hinge, and OKCupid are owned by the same parent company, Match Group ($MTCH).
Since 2015, Hobley said OKCupid has seen a [1,000 percent](https://www.popsugar.com/news/Exclusive-OkCupid-Data-Politics-Sex-Dating-Trump-44521368) increase in the use of political buzzwords in people's profiles, seeming to confirm its view that the #MeToo question would resonate with daters.
"We knew it would help connect people," she said. "Your dating app shouldn't be disconnected from what's going on in the world."
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/okcupid-adds-question-about-metoo-movement).
Neil Young urged Spotify employees to leave their jobs in his latest salvo against the platform and its CEO Daniel Ek for hosting "The Joe Rogan Experience." The call for resignations also came after a video compilation of Rogan using the n-word on his podcast was made public.
Jeff Zucker has resigned as CNN's president, writing in a memo he failed to disclose a romantic relationship with a colleague. Zucker admitted to the relationship, which he described as consensual, during the investigation into former CNN anchor Chris Cuomo's behavior. Seth Schachner, managing director of StratAmericas, joined Cheddar to discuss where does this abrupt resignation leaves the network.
On this episode of Cheddar Reveals, Dr. Ashley Farmer, Historian, Associate Professor at the University of Texas at Austin & Author of "Remaking Black Power: How Black Women Transformed an Era", shines a spotlight on some of the women overlooked by history that had a profound influence on the American Civil Rights and Black Power Movements.
Katie Rainge-Briggs, Exhibition and Collections Manager, National Museum of African American Music, explores the deep influence of Black music and musicians on modern American Culture; Cheddar gets a look at Curiosity Stream's 'Beyond the Spotlight'.
Dr. Ashley Farmer, Historian, Associate Professor at University of Texas at Austin & Author of "Remaking Black Power: How Black Women Transformed an Era", joins Cheddar Reveals to shine a spotlight on some of the women overlooked by history that had a profound influence on the American Civil Rights and Black Power Movements.
Katie Rainge-Briggs, Exhibition and Collections Manager, National Museum of African American Music, joins Cheddar Reveals to explore the deep influence of Black music and musicians on modern American Culture.
Women's health company Organon will give its over 9,000 employees a paid day off on International Women's Day.
The move comes as the company aims to recognize the growing health inequities women have faced during the Covid-19 pandemic. Kevin Ali, Chief Executive Officer, Organon joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
The pressure is on for UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson - after his closest aides handed in their resignations this week.
It comes after a report found that 16 parties had taken place at Downing Street while Covid lockdown protocols were in place in the region. Ari Aramesh, Attorney & National Security/Foreign Policy Analyst joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
From 'The Dating Game' to 'Sexy Beasts' the world has always fallen in love with reality romance. Just in time for Valentine's Day, None Of The Above's J.D. Durkin takes us through a brief history of dating shows.
