Swipe right, and you might just match with an A-10 Thunderbolt “Warthog” fighter instead of a date—because even on Tinder, the U.S. military wants you to think twice about picking a fight. Yes, on the app where people are usually looking for love, you could come face-to-face with a warning from CENTCOM.
The U.S. military has taken a novel approach to warn people in Lebanon against attacking the United States or its allies, particularly Israel, by running ads on the popular dating app Tinder. The ads featured images of American fighter jets and messages in Arabic, and are part of a broader psychological operations (psyops) effort by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). The text urged users not to take up arms against the U.S. or its allies, specifically targeting those aligned with Iran and Hezbollah. The messages emphasize that the U.S. is prepared to protect its partners in the region and highlight the military’s readiness with F-16 and A-10 aircraft already in place.
The campaign surfaced on social media when freelance reporter Séamus Malekafzali posted screenshots of the ads. The ads, which are not clandestine, clearly display the CENTCOM logo and were linked to posts from CENTCOM Arabic’s X account. While the ads are not clandestine, their appearance on a dating app like Tinder has raised eyebrows both within the military community and among the general public.
Opened Tinder in Lebanon. Was greeted by an ad from CENTCOM saying in Arabic, “Do not take arms against the US and its partners”, that F-16s and A-10s are already prepared, and that the US will “protect its partners in the face of threats from the Iranian regime and its agents.” pic.twitter.com/Z6xIsQY5Gr
— Séamus Malekafzali (@Seamus_Malek) August 22, 2024
CENTCOM and the Pentagon declined to comment directly on the Tinder ads, which is normally in line with their policy of not discussing specifics regarding psychological operations. However, an unnamed U.S. official acknowledged the campaign, noting that it’s about “meeting people where they are,” which in this case, happens to be on a popular dating app.
Tinder responded by removing the ads after being contacted by the Washington Post, stating that the campaign violated the platform’s policies against violent and political content. Tinder’s spokesperson emphasized that the ads conflicted with their rules on safety and advocacy, leading to their swift removal.
The exact translations of the ads are as follows:
- “The United States will protect its partners in the face of threats by the Iranian regime and its proxies.”
- “Do not take up arms against the United States or its partners.”
- “CENTCOM is fully prepared with F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters and supersonic A-10 Thunderbolt fighters already in the region.”
While unconventional, this campaign reflects the U.S. military’s broader efforts to influence and deter adversaries through psychological operations. However, the effectiveness of using Tinder as a platform remains debatable, with some defense experts questioning whether such an approach can reach the intended audience effectively.
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