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Mounir Lamouri works as a software engineer at Google – more precisely, he works in the team for the company’s own browser Chrome. in Chromium Blog, Lamouri reports about a serious change included in the upcoming version 64 of the browser.

Starting in 2018: No more autoplay in chrome

As the software specialist writes, the new chrome version, which is due to be released in January 2018, will be extended by a particularly user-friendly feature.

Specifically, the Google browser will be supplemented by a technology that blocks all autoplay functions. This means that site operators and advertisers will no longer be able to surprise Chrome users with video and audio content that starts automatically with sound.

With this step, Google is sending out a clear signal for more satisfaction among its own users – and there are not just a few of them. In Germany, 34 percent of Internet users use Chrome. No other browser is used more often.

The exceptions

Although Google turns off the autoplay feature by default, there are some exceptions. Users of version 63 and above can create exceptions for individual pages in the browser settings.

For example, if you use YouTube a lot, you can bypass the block and allow videos to start automatically. Everyone should be aware that this permission also applies to advertising.

Even without access to the settings, the technology behind the browser detects when you manually start videos on certain pages over and over again. As a result, the algorithm may reactivate the autoplay function for these situations. If you don’t want this, you can undo it in the settings.

Despite the built-in protection, advertising can start automatically with sound. This is due to the settings of the site operator, if they consciously decide to present you with the ads.

In short, for those who don’t know the principle behind Tinder (and almost all of today’s dating apps): Tinder shows profiles of contact-friendly singles (or non-singles) in the surrounding area.

With a left-swipe, they are skipped, while a right-swipe shows you are interested. If you right-swipe someone that also right-swipes you, you are matched up and move on to the next stage. At Tinder, there’s no run-around.

But what is the best strategy for using Tinder? Does it make sense to right-swipe as many profiles as possible to increase the chances of a match?

With Facebook, the Tinder profile is created automatically

Since 2012, the social network has been on the market and currently counts over two million users in Germany. To log in to Tinder, a Facebook account is required, which gives the app access to all the information posted by Facebook and automatically creates the profile.

Publicly visible photos, name, age, occupation, location, common friends as well as details  appear in Tinder. In addition, it is possible to add a short profile text. The images can be deleted, supplemented and sorted manually.

If the photos are not enough for Tinder, you can also link your Instagram account. Since 2015, the app has expanded to include a few payment functions: with the appropriate package, you can change your name, hide your age and even see who right-swiped you before you decide yourself.

Other in-app purchases, such as boosters and additional super-likes, are also available. From a privacy perspective, the app is questionable, since peoples identities are basically served up on a silver platter. However, it is assumed that the number of fake profiles is limited.

The “Elo Score” provides information about the popularity of users

The aim of the algorithm is to make as many matches as possible. This is how the ones “Elo Score” is involved. It raises the popularity of users, which in turn is measured by numerous factors.

One part of the “Elo Score” is, for example, the so-called “Desirability Score,” which provides information about the placement of a user in the internal ranking of other users.

In addition, the “Elo Score” is pushed up not only with information from users,  but also by the act of contributing itself. This means that anyone who provides more information to the broad masses is already better off, independently of the information itself.

In principle, one could assume that especially attractive people have a higher “Elo Score.” According to Tinder CEO Sean Rad, however, the factors taken into account are many.

“Play hard-to-get and you’ll be the star!”

But what exactly does Tinder do with the information provided by users? What it does with the hard facts about their age and interests is obvious: searches are facilitated. But this by itself is not an algorithm.

The right and left swipes are relevant to the time and location. For this, Tinder counts the green hearts (right-swipes) that a user gives and then puts them in relation to the green hearts he receives.

In doing so, the awarded green heart gains its value on the basis of the assessment of the other users who return either many or few green hearts. It is, therefore, true that the less green hearts someone gives and the more he receives at the same time, the more valuable the individual heart is – to express it in a very simple way.

Value can be increased

So it does not do much good to simply right-swipe if you aren’t getting more right-swipes in return.  And even with a one-to-one relationship of right-swipes given and received, due to the algorithm, your Elo score is likely to go down.

So the advice for Tinder: “play hard-to-get and you’ll be the star.” Of course, users who are more generous with their likes are not undermined, but they mostly receive suggestions that do not seem to be very selective. And so the circle closes.

Location and time of the likes

Tinder also evaluates the location and the time at which many left or right swipes are made. On Saturday evening, at his favorite restaurant, user X may be able to distribute green hearts more generously than on Monday mornings at the office. However, Tinder has covered the details with regard to his attractiveness and “Elo score.”

Of course, much more information and measurements are still flowing into the algorithm, such as the increased matching with people who share a certain interest in a limited time and a particular location. How many variants there are, can’t be known for sure.

Frequently change user behavior

In summary, it can be said that the only sure way to increase “Elo Score” is by receiving right-swipes. No matter when and to what extent: fewer left-swipes increases your attractiveness and thus your score.

It also can’t hurt to vary your user behavior from time to time and change search criteria. The Tinder algorithm will perhaps answer with a wider range of proposals.