Has niche dating gone too far

There has been a lot of press lately surrounding the launch of Cupidtino, a new dating site geared towards Apple fans. As innovative and appealing as the site sounds, there are some serious concerns with what it represents that should raise our collective eyebrows.

Full disclosure: I’m a PC user, but I have nothing against Macs or Mac-hearts. I have an iPhone and am currently in the market for a Mac Mini. I simply take issue with any site, application, or other service that proactively seeks to exclude large segments of the population. Perhaps Google’s mantra of “Don’t be evil” has grown on me or maybe it’s just concern that the more silos we build, the more likely we are to stereotype and show prejudice.

So, what problems do I have with Cupidtino?

For starters, it’s downright discriminatory. If you’re not a Mac user, don’t even think about trying to use the service. Apparently, your browser lets Cupidtino know what operating system your computer uses, so if you try to access it on a PC you’ll politely be shown the proverbial door. Although other niche dating sites try to limit “outsiders”, none to my knowledge actively prohibit you from registering (well, there is Beautifulpeople.com whose members essentially “vote you off the island” if your mug fails to measure up). Imagine for a second that JDate required you to authenticate that you’re a certified Semite to browse profiles and connect with others on the site. Or, consider for a moment that obesedating.com demanded a physician’s note confirming your weight challenges before setting up a profile. Ok, I think I made my point.

The second issue concerns genetic diversity. No doubt, Apple users likely share many common interests, including a passion for elegant design and a love for unique and “insanely great” technology. Some have even gone as far as to suggest that Apple user share similar personality make-ups. If true, and it probably is, it suggests that the inbreeding that will occur by fanboys and fangirls dating, mating, and procreating only with each other will serve to decrease the genetic diversity of their children. It’s not endogamy we need to worry about… it’s “Mac-ogamy”.