Tinder faces heat over testing height filter for premium users; sparks heightism debate

Tinder is stirring up controversy with the trial of a new premium feature that lets users filter potential matches by height. The move, aimed at premium subscribers, has sparked a heated debate online with many criticising the availability of the option. 

inder’s new premium feature allows users to filter matches by height, sparking debate over potential heightism.(@Tinder/X)

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Is Tinder promoting heightism via its new feature?

Tinder’s new height feature is not a strict filter but rather a paid preference, meaning it serves as a suggestion to the app’s matching algorithm rather than excluding users below a certain height. While it will not block profiles outright, it aims to prioritize matches that align with a user’s stated preference, offering more tailored—but still flexible—results.

The feature has, however, sparked controversy among social media users who are concerned that men of shorter heights will suffer at the hands of this new feature on the dating site as a consequence of height preferences. According to the data compiled by OKCupid, heightism is rife on dating platforms as men add two inches to their original heights to appear more appealing to women. And this works both ways, as women with a 5ft 4 are expected to receive 60 more messages on dating apps than a girl who is 6ft. 

Meanwhile, Hinge, which is also a popular dating platform and has the same parent company as Tinder, Match Group, is already providing the height filter to its premium users, as reported by The Independent. 

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Tinder faces backlash for its new height preference feature

A user wrote on X, “A weight filter is ridiculous, but so is a height filter. This will strengthen the hypergamy effect which could have serious negative consequences for society in the long run. And I say this as a tall guy who would benefit from such a filter if I would be on tinder.” A second user wrote, “They put the Tinder height filter behind a paywall, short kings are safe. Pretty girls don’t pay for dating apps.” 

A third user wrote, “It’s over for short men. What are they going to do now?”

While some thought that the filter was not that bad as one user wrote, “I am a fan of the height filter on tinder. Don’t waste time talking to someone that’s not ur specific ideal customer profile it helps both parties save time.” Another user wrote, “I don’t get the frustration; the woman has the preference whether Tinder puts it on a filter or not. Unless your strategy it to lie about your height and then pull it off IRL in the first meeting (bad choice) its not going to change anything.”