Why listen
The man who built Grindr explains what he got wrong and what his new app does differently.
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In this episode
- Why Grindr's anonymity feature became a double-edged sword
- What 13.5 million users taught one founder about queer dating
- How Motto is designed to fix the problems Grindr created
- What a better queer dating app actually looks like in practice
About this episode
Grindr, synonymous with LGBTQ+ casual dating, has reshaped queer community interactions since its 2009 launch by Joel Simkhai. Now with over 13.5 million global users, it's influenced late-night humor and news while facing scandals and critiques for its anonymity feature—intended to protect users in hostile environments, yet sometimes misused for spreading hate or unsolicited content.This week, Joel Simkhai introduces his new app, Motto, (now active in NYC) aiming to improve the queer dating scene. He discusses learning from Grindr's darker aspects and his vision for enhancing queer dating app reputations worldwide.
Learn about Motto here: https://www.findmotto.com/
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About PRIDE
On Pride, host Caitlynn McDaniel deep dives into the LGBTQ+ stories lighting up our screens — and the people who bring them to life. Each week, she sits down with the stars we love, the creators behind the scenes, and the voices changing the way stories are told.
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