Finding Love in the State of Washington May Come With a Price 

Democratic lawmakers in the state of Washington want to impose a tax on dating apps. House Bill 2071 would require dating app companies to pay $1 a month per Washington-based user, including those on the free tier. 

Yes, you read that right. This is a real bill getting serious attention in the Washington state legislature.  

The title of HB 2071 states that the bill will be “Generating resources to combat domestic violence by imposing an excise tax on owners of online dating applications.” The fund revenue from the tax would be funneled into a newly created “Domestic Violence Services Account,” aimed at funding intervention programs and support services for victims. 

While combating domestic violence is a noble and necessary cause, the method here is questionable at best and ridiculous at worst. This is just another example of progressive Democrats proving they’ll tax anything that moves—or in this case, swipes. 

Let’s be clear: this isn’t a tax on big corporations or billionaires. This is a tax that dating app companies will almost certainly pass down to users. That means everyday Washingtonians looking for connection, companionship, or even just a date will end up footing the bill.  

Whether you’re using Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, or any other platform, expect to see those costs go up.  

The reason these apps have so many consumers is because of the no charge associated with finding love on these apps. With this bill, everyone who was happy paying nothing will now have to pay a fee.  

The government has no business monetizing people’s love lives. What’s next—romance registration fees? A swipe tax? Maybe a first-date surcharge? 

More importantly, this sets a dangerous precedent. If lawmakers can justify taxing dating apps because they might be “connected” to social problems, what else is fair game?  

Should cars be taxed to fund drunk driving prevention? Should your Big Mac be taxed to subsidize Ozempic treatments? 

This bill isn’t about helping victims. It’s about expanding the reach of government and squeezing more money out of citizens under the guise of doing good. Washington’s residents deserve better than to be nickel-and-dimed every time they try to find love. Hopefully lawmakers in the great state of Washington wake up and swipe left on HB 2071.