'You can’t deny Tinder is what the world wants' - Dating app CEO Sean Rad addresses critics ahead of IPO
Tinder chief executive Sean Rad has shunned the idea that the app promotes a "hook up culture" ahead of the company's date with the stock market tomorrow.
In an interview published in the Evening Standard today (18 November) Rad hit out at reporters claiming "too many are not seeking truth but fame".
"You can't deny Tinder is what the world wants," he added, “we’ve solved the biggest problem in humanity: that you’re put on this planet to meet people.”
Back in September, Vanity Fair said the app was responsible for "the dawn of the dating apocalypse" and alleged that a third of its users were already in some form of relationship.
The startup responded by sending a series of defiant Tweets from its official account, and asserted that its data indicated the vast majority of users were looking for "meaningful connections".
Rad said today that he was still "upset" about the feature in question, and shared his theories on why feminism, not Tinder, is not responsible creating a culture of casual sex.
“More women are more independent and pursuing their desires. And that leads to both parties being more sexually active. It’s not because of Tinder," he said.
The app re-jigged its dating algorithm earlier this month in bid to change its how it is perceived, allowing Tinderers to add more information to their profiles.
Tinder's parent company Match Group is set to hit the stock exchange tomorrow in an estimated $3.1bn floatation. Shares range from $12 to $14 each, with plans to sell 33.3 million shares.