This is just a thought I had that I wanted to bounce off people who know more about ActivityPub/the fediverse— would it be feasible (and would it make sense) to build an open-source, ActivityPub-compatible dating app as an alternative to Tinder/Bumble/etc.? And if so, what could that look like? Obviously the small userbase would be an issue, but I feel like there’s enough frustration with the mainstream apps that there’d be at least some migration if a good decentralized & non-commercial option existed. I know I’d use it. What do y’all think?
It kinda does make sense. You have specialist dating services:
And on and on.
So each of those could be an instance so people with similar… needs are grouped together but it’s federated, so you could be on a Democrat dating instance but also throw your hook into the pool of pensioners or Californians, etc, etc.
Or for queer people or people with different philosophies in general like it already works with fediverse instances now. Some will allow nudes others may be more for romantic relationshipsor even just for buliding freindships. Everyone can decide which instance they want to join.
Exactly - each instance can have its own niche and set it’s own guidelines. As they aren’t walled gardens of you are on a furry dating instance but want to throw your hook in with one catering to fans of anime, then that’d be OK too.
It has a lot of intriguing potential.
Exactly, also the DM could be handled through XMPP, SimpleX or Matrix. The rest (following, liking, bookmarking, etc.) is already there.
Indeed - Lemmy integrates well with Matrix and there’s no reason that can’t be done here as the main issue would be the security of the messages exchanged.
The other bonus is open and clear matching algorithms. It’s in the interest of commercial dating apps to keep the majority of their users always hopefully but never quite there (or they’d run out of business, so, ironically, they’re business model relies on not being successful) and I suspect they use some shifty practices in the matching algorithms.
Exactly. Thats the whole thing behind the swiping algorithm. Its one of the most manipulative and superficial social algorithms. I’d love to have more open ones if any at all to actually find easier what you really want. Filtering, some different content displaying methods or software UI are just some exapmles. Why not using our psychological capabilities to our benefit instead of monetiting and exloiting them.