Tinder builds us a virtual bridge out of self-isolation

Dive into the cosmopolitan dating pool this April, as Tinder makes its exclusive passport feature free for a limited time.

As mass business closures quickly result in FaceTime wine nights and missed leg days at the gym, opportunities for dating app appropriate photographs have been brought to a stand-still. More to the point, we’re all preoccupied with fear and anxiety for our loved ones and are generally dismayed at the state of the world. 

But come March 26, Tinder’s passport mode, a pre-existing feature normally exclusive to paid subscribers, will be available free to everyone through till April 30. In these days of isolation, where our physical world has dramatically shrunk, the passport feature on Tinder gives new meaning to the idea of a pen pal. 

This opportunity to virtually check out of self-quarantine and check in on others, anywhere in the world, has never been more necessary. Whether it’s the city you call home, the place you grew up or just sending some love around the globe, this feature unlocks the capacity to relate to and support each other remotely.  

In these uncertain times, we may be bereft of that mood-altering smile from the cute local barista or a cheeky glance over a book at a stranger on the train, but in the meantime, this grants us a contemporary, effective and relevant way to connect on a much larger, yet still personal, scale. 

Maybe in light of the pandemic, we can try our hand at Tinder bios that divulge our heartfelt concerns and well-wishes as opposed to our sauciest emojis and cringiest motivational quotes.