Tinder settles age discrimination lawsuit

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Bangla Tribune Desk
Published : 15:40, Jan 26, 2019 | Updated : 15:43, Jan 26, 2019

The dating app Tinder is shown on an Apple iPhone in this photo illustration taken February 10, 2016. REUTERS/FILE PHOTOTinder has settled a lawsuit accusing it of age discrimination for charging people aged 30 and above double to subscribe to its premium Tinder Plus service, reports engadget.

The Match Group-owned brand will pay $17.25 million in cash and in-app features (such as $25 checks, Super Likes and Plus/Gold subscriptions) to users who had to pay $20 per month instead of the $10 offered to younger customers.

Tinder will also have to stop charging general age-based rates in California, although it will have the option of discounting service for people 21 or younger.

The woman behind the lawsuit, Lisa Kim, will also receive $5,000.

We've asked Tinder for comment. The company had previously defended the age-related rates by likening them to student pricing. Younger users typically don't have as much money to spend, it argued, so they needed a lower price to justify signing up. However, the rate was dictated solely by age, not educational or economic status -- you could be a 32-year-old in school and still pay twice as much as a 29-year-old with money to burn.

It's safe to say Tinder will need to use narrower criteria than age if it plans a similar pricing strategy in the future.

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