Why Tinder might be the next technology revolution for charities

It is interesting to see that Amazon is launching its give-as-you-shop service in the UK, which will be called Amazon Smile.

The site will be exactly the same as the standard Amazon site, with the same selection and prices, but the added option of allowing its shoppers to give to one their 10 partner charities.

This comes hot on the heels of Facebook’s launch of its Personal Fundraisers service, enabling users to raise money for themselves or something they care about.

Social media, technology and artificial intelligence are disrupting the traditional activities we are accustomed to. If it works and is cost effective, this must be a benefit for the charity sector faced with increased pressure, costs and regulation. Fundraising is an obvious activity that charities carry out, which will hopefully benefit from the Amazon and Facebook initiatives.

In the current environment charities really struggle to compete with each other, but what of the future? While it may be too difficult to consider merging with similar organisations, there is pressure for greater collaboration between charities and not-for-profit organisations to deliver funds or services to their beneficiaries.   

Step forward Tinder! Tinder is one of the leading social media apps that allows mutually interested users to chat and ‘hook-up’. Based on a number of criteria, users are matched and can anonymously view those with mutual interests. The app allows the user to anonymously like another user by swiping right or pass by swiping left on them. If two users like each other it then results in a ‘match’ and they are able to chat within the app. Available 30 different languages, the service generates 800 million swipes and 10 million matches a day. 

It may be too far at this stage to suggest Tinder is the next social media business to disrupt the charity sector. Their focus is perhaps a little more frivolous than getting serious charities to work together. However, it is worth thinking about as there are two areas that are almost certain to change in the future. Technology and artificial intelligence are changing the way we live and charities' need to collaborate more.