Column: Are apps like Tinder altering the style of dating for the better?

It is common knowledge to those of the younger generation of phrases such as 'I swiped right because he was good looking'.

However, amidst other generations this is unheard of. Applications such as Tinder, often have negative connotations due to how vain and judgmental they are.

You are given an array of potential profiles which suit your criteria, you then swipe left if they are not so much you're type, and right if you're interested.

If you are lucky enough to have both swiped right it isn't usually long before the cheesy one liners, that we all know so well, often commence.

Therefore, it is easy to see why Tinder is often placed under scrutiny but is it time to celebrate such apps?

The gendered norms of dating are gradually becoming blurred, for example going dutch is deemed to be a more common way of paying for the bill at a restaurant and flowers are not an expected gift for a male to bring to a date.

The old-school style of heterosexual dating in which males are expected to be the dominant party, by holding the door open and ensuring the female gets home safely, may be heart-warming and nostalgic but it is rather dull and expected nowadays.

Therefore, this raises the question as to whether apps such as Tinder are refreshingly different as they require a mutual acknowledgment of attraction in order for conversation to occur.

Individuals know from the onset that they are attracted to one another and therefore there is less need to try to impress one another with tangible gifts and an inordinate amount of affection to show interest.

Tinder is predominantly directed towards those within the student age bracket, an already economically strained category, therefore such gifts can be seen to be unnecessary and not affordable.

Personally, being a female student I would not expect such gifts and would always offer to pay for half on a date. I would like to think that parents who have daughters would wish them to do the same, whilst parents with sons would not wish for their hard earned money to be frittered away on flowers and expensive meals for two.

Understandably, much like many other online dating apps Tinder allows individuals to hide behind a keyboard.

However, this could be viewed as a refreshingly new way of helping to build a relationship prior to meeting a person.

This is ideal for those who are relatively shy around new people, allowing them to 'banter' and flirt confidently without fear of rejection or losing face.

Advancements in technology has aided the arranging of dates, days or hours prior to them happening.

This is something which could not be done 20 years ago; you would have to wait for the home telephone in order to contact a date and arrange a meeting time weeks prior, whilst the influence of technology has allowed relationships to be more fluid and understanding of altering schedules.

If a date is going to be late, that's fine, they can just send a text.

In my opinion, it's an app that is wrongly misinterpreted.

It brings people together, surely that can't be a bad thing.