Note: I’m a woman of colour.

I find it interesting that there are differences in specifying “ethnicity” (or lack thereof) across dating apps and whether it’s a paid filter or not.

Bumble: no ethnicity specification

Hinge: Ethnicity specification and free filter. They provide an explanation as to why they include this: “Too often, minority groups have to search harder to find a connection. We created our ethnicity filter to help people quickly find each other via cultural experiences without having to scroll and scroll (and scroll).”

Coffee Meets Bagel: Ethnicity specification, free filter

OKCupid: Ethnicity specification, paid filter

I do not have my ethnicity specified on apps where you can do so because it makes me uneasy that I am filtered due to the colour of my skin. I am also NOT white passing by any means.

And while I understand Hinge’s perspective to make dating ‘easier’ for people of colour, I’m not sure that it does tbh, since it also makes it just as easy to exclude people of colour as well. It’s a catch-22.

I also found it odd (and performative) that Hinge explicitly provided an explanation about their decision to make a free ethnicity filter. Coffee Meets Bagel does not do this.

I guess I’ve gotten too skeptical. Certainly, there are biases in how the algorithms and apps are designed.

Happy to hear your experience or opinion on this matter.