WA lawmaker proposes tax on dating apps to fund domestic violence survivor programs

SEATTLE — A Washington state lawmaker has proposed a novel way to address a growing funding gap for domestic violence intervention services: tax dating app companies one dollar per registered user.

State Rep. Lauren Davis (D-Shoreline) introduced House Bill 2071, which would place a $1-per-user fee on dating app companies such as Tinder, Bumble and Hinge to name a few. The revenue, estimated to roughly $6 million annually, would be directed into a domestic violence services account to fund survivor advocacy and support programs across Washington.

“There’s a serious mathematical problem with the way we’re funding victim services,” Davis said. “It’s already incredibly painful, grueling, re-traumatizing—but at least you have a victim advocate. And it’s important to me, and in fact imperative, that the state keep that promise to keep those positions funded.”

The tax would be levied directly on dating app companies, which would not be required to pass the fee onto users—though Davis acknowledges that some might.

“They certainly could charge a user fee,” she said. “They could potentially increase the monthly subscription fee by a buck for paid users to try to compensate.”

On the University of Washington campus with the flower blossoms in full bloom, students have mixed feelings about the proposal.

“I feel like if you’re paying upfront, it kind of discourages people from actually using the app,” said UW student Joon, noting that many of his peers use dating platforms for making friends as much as dating.

Another student, Grayson Artis, reflected on how commonplace online dating has become. “Most people have probably tried a dating app at some point,” he said. “I’ve met some people, but it’s harder to build deeper connections through dating apps.”

Still, Davis believes the industry which she claims is flush with profits can absorb the fee. “The tax is relatively nominal in the context of the profits made by these companies,” she said.

The bill is currently under consideration and could appear before the House Finance Committee before the end of the session. 

Davis said she has already been contacted by Match Group, the parent company of several major dating platforms, and hopes to meet with them soon.