Zift Advisory
OkCupid is a free dating app that connects users to potential matches using geolocation data and their patented algorithm. It is free to download in iTunes and Google Play but offers in-app purchases and advertisements. The OkCupid Dating app is rated mature for users over 17 years old and is not safe for kids.
What is OkCupid: Online Dating App?
OkCupid is a free dating app that relies on an analytic approach to dating by using a patented algorithm.
OkCupid uses geographic location, paired with profile attributes (which result from answering a multitude of questions) to create dating matches.
Once a user finds a potential match, they are able to initiate communication using a free messaging system.
While free to use, the OkCupid app offers a range of premium subscription options and in-app purchases. Premium members are called “A-listers”, who pay a subscription cost; $9.99 per month, $23.99 for 3 months, $26.99 for 6 months, and $39.99 per year.
Subscriptions auto renew, so users should adjust their settings if they do not wish to be charged after their initial subscription period; subscriptions can not be canceled during the active subscription period.
OkCupid’s in-app purchases come in the form of premium memberships and “boosts”, which highlight a user’s period for a specific period of time (15 minutes) or until a minimum number of 1,000 impressions have been made.
Boosted profiles appear at the top of feeds and searches, and are meant to make matches quicker for the booster. Boosts can be purchased on an individual basis for $.99, or in multipacks of $1.99, $8.99 or $16.99.
Is OkCupid: Online Dating App safe for my kids?
OkCupid is a dating app that is not appropriate for minors. Although OkCupid is a free dating app that requires users to be 17 years or older to download, there is no age verification tool, so minors younger than 17 can easily create a profile.
It’s also interesting to note that the minimum age is 17, despite the fact that the majority of users are 18 years or older. If parents discover their app on their child’s phone, they should know that it's not safe for kids .
Apart from the fact that OkCupid is an adult online dating app, this platform requires the use of geolocation data to make matches, and only matches people within the same general area. Should a minor create a profile, that profile will be seen by local members of OkCupid, putting them at risk.
Parents should also know that OkCupid allows private messaging between members free of charge, and many of those messaging on the platform share inappropriate messages, however, OkCupid no longer allows users to attach photos within those messages.
OkCupid does have moderators, but with any high traffic site, it’s impossible to catch everything. Should your child have an OkCupid profile, they may be exposed to mature/suggestive themes, alcohol/tobacco/drug use references, sexual content/nudity, and profanity or crude humor.
It should also be noted that OkCupid profiles are public by default, and indexed by Google, unless users manually change the settings.
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