Interest in the new conservative-only dating app The Right Stuff has reportedly declined drastically since it was first launched late last month, according to a new report.
The new invite-only app, which promises to connect single conservatives with other like-minded individuals, launched on 30 September. In mid-October, The Daily Beast reported that it was downloaded an estimated 6,000 times during its first day in the App Store, and 7,000 times the following day.
Since then, the initial popularity of the app appears to have waned. The outlet reports that estimates from analytics firms Sensor Tower and data.ai show that “estimated downloads stood at about 1,000 per day on October 8, 9, 10”.
The reported decrease in downloads of the app also impacted its ranking in the App Store. The Daily Beast referenced data from Appfigures in its reporting, which found that the platform dropped to 160th in the lifestyle section rankings.
The app is also not listed as a suggested app under the Apple App Store’s “Meet Someone New” section, which lists 24 dating apps, such as Hinge, Bumble, Grindr, The League, Tinder, Match and eHarmony.
The Right Stuff’s reported decline in popularity also comes amid a slew of negative reviews for the dating platform, which currently has a 2.8-star rating in the App Store.
The invite-only dating app backed by conservative PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, which was widely mocked when it was first announced, launched to largely negative reviews. Some users even claimed that they have been contacted by the FBI over their responses on the platform.
“Okay app asks about January 6th, harmless, right? I said I was there because I was, I’m a patriot that’s why I’m on this dating app. I use this app for hardly an evening and is it a coincidence I get a call from an FBI agent the SAME DAY???” one person wrote in a one-star review. “Seriously, what stunt are they trying to pull? Whoever developed this has to be deepstate setting us up… I came here to find love, not a damn warrant.”
According to another individual who identified themself as a user and left a one-star review, two police officers allegedly showed up at their door a day after they answered a question about 6 January “honestly” on the app.
In a statement to The Independent, a spokesperson for The Right Stuff said it had determined reports of FBI contact were false. “Just people trolling,” they added. The FBI declined to comment.
However, even the app’s targeted audience has had its issues with the app. Many have lamented the invite-only aspect of the platform, which means, for a significant number of users, the app has been unusable.
The feature has been especially frustrating for users because it isn’t clear they are unable to use the app without an invite until they’ve already spent time creating a profile, and answering prompts such as “favourite liberal lie”.
“I went to check this app out. Honestly, why make you go through so many steps and be almost done and it says INVITE ONLY?” one reviewer said. “And they want me to give access to all of my contacts? I don’t want anyone I know getting invited or being invited to join this app just so I can create my own profile.
“I get the idea behind it but it’s essentially a roadblock. Since you can’t progress further, I stopped and deleted it immediately.”
As for how to gain access to the invite-only app, the guidelines for securing an invite are unclear. In a tweet shared by The Right Stuff’s Twitter account on the day it was launched, it encouraged users to download and build their profiles, and promised that it would “begin unlocking invites next week”.
“We will personally be giving invites out, or will try to find someone you know to give one to you!” the tweet added.
While the majority of the 778 reviews in the App Store are negative, there are some reviews for The Right Stuff that are positive. Though, as noted by The Daily Beast, some of these positive reviews are also clearly fake.
“I downloaded this app about two weeks ago and have already met the love of my life. She’s more beautiful than life itself AND loves Trump,” one five-star review reads, while another says: “No joke, I was skeptical. However, after downloading, in a mere five minutes I had met the love of my life. We chatted it up for a few days, went on a date, and now we are married!!! This app is truly amazing, I can’t say it enough!!”
In a statement to The Independent, The Right Stuff appeared to dispute reports of declining popularity, with a spokesperson stating: “We have received a massive amount of downloads (33,000+) without any profiles being unlocked yet. The demand for a normal dating experience is even greater than we anticipated.”
As for the criticism of the app’s invite-only feature, the spokesperson added: “The invite process ensures our community stays high quality.”
