Mikah Sargent​Popular dating app Tinder has seen quite the bump in Sochi, thanks to the Olympics.
The app uses GPS and a user's Facebook profile to connect them to others with similar interests. Users tap the heart to indicate they're interested in another person, and if the other person reciprocates, the app lets them chat. (Via Vimeo / Tinder)
According to The Wall Street Journal, there are a whole lot of similar interests going on thanks to a large group of athletes in close vicinity. "Tinder has seen a 400% day-over-day increase of new users in Sochi since the Olympics opened Friday."
American Olympian Jamie Anderson agrees. She told Us Weekly, "Tinder in the Olympic Village is next level. It's all athletes! ... There are some cuties on there." Anderson said she eventually had to delete the app so she could focus on the games.
And Fox News's Red Eye panelist, Joanne Nosuchinsky says she's not surprised by the app's popularity.
"You have fit, good looking athletes wanting to get together in their downtime, because really, like you said, there's nothing else for them to do." (Via Fox News)
CEO Sean Rad says the usage hasn't stopped growing. He told The Hollywood Reporter:
"It has increased day after day. It is representative of existing Tinder users traveling to Sochi, new users picking it up, and then locals learning about it too." (Via The Hollywood Reporter)
Of course an uptick in Tinder could also mean an uptick in, well, meet ups. But a writer for CNN says, thankfully, Olympic organizers are wise to the activities.
"This diverse mix of people from all corners of the globe, for what is essentially one big party over a three-week period, is perhaps why organizers have seen fit to supply roughly 100,000 condoms to the Olympic village." (Via CNN)
