A woman who used Tinder to dupe more than 200 men into joining a public dating competition in New York City says that instead of being a social media stunt, the prank was about sharing 鈥渁n important message.鈥�
鈥淲e are using our phones on a day-to-day basis and kind of just setting these high expectations and high standards for everyone,鈥� Natasha Aponte told 麻豆影视 Channel. 鈥淚 think the message behind it is how can we stop doing that online and just be more open to the human experience and just universal love. And I think that people in Tinder are very cruel.鈥�
Aponte cites how people who use the popular online dating app often have strict preferences when it comes to things such as race, height and politics.
鈥淲e just wanted to showcase that and say that this is wrong鈥� whether it鈥檚 online or in real life,鈥� she explained. 鈥淎s a woman or a man, you have this idea of the person you鈥檙e meant to be with, or you鈥檙e supposed to be with, and in actuality that person might be something completely out of your expectations.鈥�
A video of the stunt was produced and filmed by Rob Bliss, who also shot a widely-viewed catcalling video in 2014.
, which was filmed in Manhattan鈥檚 Union Square Park on Aug. 19, Aponte weeds out potential suiters for characteristics such as being too short or wearing khakis before having the remaining men compete in events such as foot races in order to land a date with her.
All of the men had arrived in the park thinking that they were about to go on a one-on-one date.
鈥淎ll it is is just the vehicle between two people, right?鈥� Bliss said of dating apps such as Tinder, which he uses. 鈥淚 think as our technology improves, we鈥檙e able to connect with more people but at the same time we鈥檙e losing in empathy and so that鈥檚 what we鈥檙e emphasizing.鈥�
With files from The Associated Press
