You can live in Cuba, date online and do so without Tinder
by Claudia Yilén
With the expansion of the Internet in Cuba, not only did the use of social networking sites grow. At the same time, the development of national alternatives in terms of mobile applications and services also increased, most of them as a version of the already existing “popular” ones, to provide solutions to specific issues.
In other cases, they were also created in response to the phenomenon of disconnection or “denied access” for those blocked to the country, or made more complex by the use of a VPN. This, in turn, has brought greater specialization, both in types of users, products, services and network access routes.
Such is the case of dating apps, which have arrived with a curious adaptation to the national context, but with the same functionality as those recognized worldwide such as Tinder (blocked for Cuba, accessed through a VPN) or Badoo. In a small search, we noted that their producers use social networks such as Instagram to promote themselves.
Among the most active are Cubacitas (@cubacitas). In searches you can also find 1+1 (@app.1mas1), Piropazo (@piropazocuba), Mobifriends (@mobifriends), among others. Although not all of them are available for download in the usual stores, such as Play Store, App Store or the Cuban store Apklis, it is possible to access them through Apkpure, the international alternative store to the Play Store.
In essence, the concept of the above list is the same as its international counterparts. It’s about connecting users who share preferences, and once they create links, allowing them to chat. They also include the option of geolocation, so that people know where to find others, and if possible, agree a meeting in person.
But ingenuity and the use of virtual tools are not limited to these spaces. Through messenger services such as WhatsApp and Telegram, used most by Cubans in the last year, virtual communities have been organized in which it is possible to find a partner or make friends. One of the most popular is Citas Online (@onlinedating2020), with more than 180,000 members on Telegram and a fairly active community on WhatsApp too.
These services also allow chatting, image and file sharing, as well as real-time location. In the case of Telegram, it is not necessary to belong to a group to socialize. In its latest updates, the developers included the option “People close to you,” with the concept of interacting with people in your immediate surroundings, without needing their phone number, as well as participating in chats based on a location, although these are not the only changes.
It’s too early to predict how these national alternatives will develop, as they still don’t feature among the main download sites and few Cuban users are aware of their existence, or prefer to trust in those that already have an established reputation. But their emergence, and the possibility of having a product aimed at specific audiences, is already a challenge when it comes to solutions and initiatives. So, there you have it – there are options available to you, so why not make your move and “forget” about Tinder.
