Difference between revisions of "The League (Dating App)"

From SI410
Jump to: navigation, search
Line 2: Line 2:
 
{{SoftwareInfoBox
 
{{SoftwareInfoBox
 
|NAME=''The League''
 
|NAME=''The League''
−
|HEIGHT=400
+
|HEIGHT=430
 
|LOGO=logo.png
 
|LOGO=logo.png
 +
|CAPTION =Interface of the Application
 
|SCREENIMAGE=league.png
 
|SCREENIMAGE=league.png
 
|TYPE =Dating Application
 
|TYPE =Dating Application
−
|CAPTION =Interface of the Application
+
|developer=Amanda Bradford
−
|Created By = Amanda Bradford
+
 
|LAUNCH =January 17, 2015
 
|LAUNCH =January 17, 2015
 
|PLATFORM =iOS, Android
 
|PLATFORM =iOS, Android
Line 13: Line 13:
 
}}
 
}}
  
−
[https://www.theleague.com The League] is an .  
+
[https://www.theleague.com The League] is a mobile dating application that was launched in 2015 by developer Amanda Bradford. As a members-only application, users must submit a request to be admitted to the dating app. With the intention of attracting only “professionals” to the app, your acceptance and match is solely based on your LinkedIn and Facebook profiles. Users may be subject a long waitlist before admittance onto the app.
 +
 
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
  
−
‘A dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the future of sin.’ - Series Synopsis
+
The dating application was founded in 2014 by Amanda Bradford, who thought of the idea after being frustrated by her own online dating experience. Bradford states that one of her models is the Soho House, the members-only social club that opened in London and then went to different cities. Similarly, The League first started in San Fransico in 2015 and has now debuted in 21 cities across the nation.  
  
−
The first episodes threw the audience right into Westworld to show the relationship between programmers and hosts. We were introduced to significant guests of the park and the ethics behind re-booting the hosts every night. The plotline was thick; it took a few episodes to truly understand how hosts would be brought into a new storyline according to specific guest interaction. It’s a lot. Long story short, the theme parks offers its visitors to play in the wild west — the large area of land is filled with hosts, which are androids that are pre-assigned to a narrative and socialize with guests. But although these are robots, they are indistinguishable from any other human. Their memories are wiped every day and the bots are set back in the place every morning. The guests step into the park told that they can do whatever they want to the robots without any harm, but that’s where the plot thickens.
 
  
 
==Process==
 
==Process==
  
−
Through captivating characters, we observe that Westworld’s hosts are beginning to discover their identities. As each episode progressed, each host began to retain more information on their background. Main characters thought to be human turn out to be androids, boundaries are tested by bold hosts who wish to turn the tables, and the guests are in for a brutal surprise.
+
A user can either apply to the dating app through a referral or without a referral. With a referral from a friend, a user is able to skip the application process. Otherwise, a user can sign up for the app and then be placed on a waitlist. The application then scan’s an applicant’s Facebook and LinkedIn profiles to analyze their “personality.” Education, profession, and age are some of the important factors included in the selection process.
 +
 
 +
Once admitted off the waitlist, a user can sync their Facebook and LinkedIn accounts to create their profile. They are then prompted to select their preferences for matches, which include gender, location proximity, height, education level, religion and ethnicity. Similar to other dating application, a user is given matches and then prompted to swipe right to “match” or swipe left to “pass.” Unlike other apps, the League only gives you 3-5 matches per day, depending on which subscription you have.  
  
−
[[File: maeve.jpg|400px|left|thumbnail|Character 'Maeve' and her programmers in Westworld]]
 
−
One of the crowd-favorites of the series is Maeve. She is the backbone of the storyline and eventually sparks the idea of self-awareness. An important scene that sums all this mumbo jumbo up is when Maeve asserts her power over the human programmers in the park. All this fighting goes down and Maeve ends up getting her wish to see the levels of Westworld and how her entire identity has been a lie. The genuine emotion on Maeve’s face when watching another android be pulled apart and memory swiped is just a hint at her true heartbreak and feelings that grew from this android. This marked her beginning of what viewers thought to be consciousness and emotional suffering.
 
  
 
==Controversy==
 
==Controversy==
  
−
The season’s finale ended with hosts shooting at guests and deciding to do it their way. But spoiler alert, it was part of the narrative the entire time. The audience is led to believe that due to machine learning, the robots decided to rebel — but this turns out to be a disappointment. We are taken back to Maeve, finding out that her desire to leave the park and free herself from Westworld was always programmed in her code. This brings the entire storyline back to the idea of how far self-awareness can truly go.  
+
There have been many press accusations of the dating app being racist due to its selection process. Because the app requires the user to submit his or her race, many have criticized the app for being one of the only dating applications that does this. Developer and CEO Amanda Bradford claims that the [http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2015/01/the-league-dating-app-racist.html ethnicity data] is important to help the site be more inclusive by welcoming all diversities.  
 +
 
 +
In addition, the app’s selective process of being only for “elite” members has also been of concern to many. While The League determines your acceptance based on your LinkedIn and Facebook profiles, some consider the app to be “unethical” in the way it determines who gets let in, as it could be true that members will higher levels of education and profession are accepted.
 +
 
  
−
==Colorless Profiles==
+
==Monochrome Profiles==
  
−
Westworld is a fictional depiction of the power in lines of code. As a template for the potential of what AI holds is pretty scary. We’re living in a time where AI is nothing but a voice and a brain, but decisions can be made — cars are being driven autonomously and machines are starting to learn based on algorithms, so how far is this reality? This story reflects the android’s need for freedom and a reality of a simple program learning tasks and developing a form of human consciousness. Artificial intelligence will only continue to increase in our world. Of course, this show is decades away from necessary technological advancements for this type of living, but it could be the future.  
+
In October 2017, The League launched its “monochrome” profile, making each user’s first profile picture black and white. The reason for doing so has been said to urge users to make more “holistic” decisions when making a match. While it might be easier for people to make judgments based on the appearance of their picture, it may be harder to do so when the photo appears in black and white.  
  
−
In an [https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/stephen-hawking-artificial-intelligence-fears-ai-will-replace-humans-virus-life-a8034341.html interview] last year, Stephen Hawking explains his concerns about artificial intelligence and how he believes they could replace human beings. He stated ‘The real risk with AI isn’t malice but competence. A super-intelligent AI will be extremely good at accomplishing its goals, and if those goals aren’t aligned with ours, we’re in trouble.’ He spoke about the need for control and a plan to identity threats in machinery. Whether or not these machines are conscious, they will be able to think. We are on a path of extreme acceleration in technology and machine learning is just the beginning.
+
When [https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/24/the-league-is-making-everyones-first-profile-picture-black-and-white/.html A/B tests] were conducted before the change, users spent twice as long looking at a match’s profile when the picture appeared in monochrome. Therefore, the application hopes that making this change will urge users to spend more time looking at someone’s interests and profession as opposed to just their picture.

Revision as of 01:10, 20 March 2018

←Back • ↑Topics • ↑Categories

The League
Logo.png
League.png
Interface of the Application [url text]
Type Dating Application
Launch Date January 17, 2015
Status active
Product Line product
Platform iOS, Android
Website The League text

The League is a mobile dating application that was launched in 2015 by developer Amanda Bradford. As a members-only application, users must submit a request to be admitted to the dating app. With the intention of attracting only “professionals” to the app, your acceptance and match is solely based on your LinkedIn and Facebook profiles. Users may be subject a long waitlist before admittance onto the app.


History

The dating application was founded in 2014 by Amanda Bradford, who thought of the idea after being frustrated by her own online dating experience. Bradford states that one of her models is the Soho House, the members-only social club that opened in London and then went to different cities. Similarly, The League first started in San Fransico in 2015 and has now debuted in 21 cities across the nation.


Process

A user can either apply to the dating app through a referral or without a referral. With a referral from a friend, a user is able to skip the application process. Otherwise, a user can sign up for the app and then be placed on a waitlist. The application then scan’s an applicant’s Facebook and LinkedIn profiles to analyze their “personality.” Education, profession, and age are some of the important factors included in the selection process.

Once admitted off the waitlist, a user can sync their Facebook and LinkedIn accounts to create their profile. They are then prompted to select their preferences for matches, which include gender, location proximity, height, education level, religion and ethnicity. Similar to other dating application, a user is given matches and then prompted to swipe right to “match” or swipe left to “pass.” Unlike other apps, the League only gives you 3-5 matches per day, depending on which subscription you have.


Controversy

There have been many press accusations of the dating app being racist due to its selection process. Because the app requires the user to submit his or her race, many have criticized the app for being one of the only dating applications that does this. Developer and CEO Amanda Bradford claims that the ethnicity data is important to help the site be more inclusive by welcoming all diversities.

In addition, the app’s selective process of being only for “elite” members has also been of concern to many. While The League determines your acceptance based on your LinkedIn and Facebook profiles, some consider the app to be “unethical” in the way it determines who gets let in, as it could be true that members will higher levels of education and profession are accepted.


Monochrome Profiles

In October 2017, The League launched its “monochrome” profile, making each user’s first profile picture black and white. The reason for doing so has been said to urge users to make more “holistic” decisions when making a match. While it might be easier for people to make judgments based on the appearance of their picture, it may be harder to do so when the photo appears in black and white.

When A/B tests were conducted before the change, users spent twice as long looking at a match’s profile when the picture appeared in monochrome. Therefore, the application hopes that making this change will urge users to spend more time looking at someone’s interests and profession as opposed to just their picture.

Retrieved from "http://si410wiki.sites.uofmhosting.net/index.php?title=The_League_(Dating_App)&oldid=68677"