Feature Suggestions: Proxy, Block List Management, Filter by Ethnicity, Block Categorically, Block List Import/Export++

[DomOfKnight]

I absolutely love this mod and I've made excellent use of it since discovering it. Thanks so much for this project.

Aside from the obvious benefit of getting paid features free (I pay for it anyway since my phone isn't rooted and I can only use GrindrPlus on my emulator), this mod adds important things to Grindr that the developers really should have done themselves. I hope you can continue building upon that especially.

In service to that goal, I thought I'd share with you some thoughts I've come up with during my use of the app and the mod.

Proxy

Grindr has an odd relationship with VPNs. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. Notably, I cannot use the Kaspersky VPN servers in New York, at all, with Grindr. Also, VPNs that do work with Grindr, sometimes prevent you from accessing other things like online banking. So if you want to keep all of your Grindr activity proxied in some way, this is very challenging as things stand.

Trying to register an account using a VPN, will basically just get your email address banned. The registration process goes through, you get your text message, you verify, and then it says "registration error". Try to log in with that account, and you'll see registration error at the login screen. Email Grindr support, and you'll find that they are less than helpful.

Since I go through Grindr accounts like disposable objects, I have begun using a paid service for SMS verification. I pay for each SMS received, and since the registration process only errors out after verifying via SMS, this costs me money.

If GrindrPlus allowed users to configure a VPN connection, or HTTP/SOCKS proxy just for Grindr, this would avoid a world of trouble.

Block List Management

I submitted a suggestion to Grindr's User Voice board, describing at some length the problems with the system's block feature. Other suggestions have been made by other users with similar complaints, that basically the block list becomes impossible to manage once you have a hundred or more people blocked, which is pretty easy to do if you're an active user. If you want to unblock someone, finding that person becomes very difficult, and the only alternative is to unblock everyone, which results in a very unpleasant user experience.
https://grindr.uservoice.com/forums/912631-grindr-feedback/suggestions/48443153-block-list-management

It would be hugely helpful if we could find a way to filter the block list, or maintain separately tagged block lists, so as to make this vital function more usable.

Filter By Ethnicity

Grindr, bowing to the forces of political correctness, made it impossible to filter by ethnicity and prohibited discriminatory bios and display names. That might work fine for public accommodations, but sex is the most discriminatory thing human beings do, and appropriately so. Trying to shame people for having a "type" is preposterous, and all this has done is make for countless uncomfortable and unwanted interactions with incompatible people.

If GrindrPlus added an ethnicity filter, it would be a huge improvement to the application, and it would advance societal harmony by avoiding unwanted interactions which fan the flames of racial hostility.

Block Categorically

Using filters, one ought to be able to mass block users. For example, I don't particularly care to be contacted by anyone over 50, so whenever I create a new Grindr account, and periodically throughout the life of that account, I search for users over 50, and I block them proactively.

This is something that could surely be automated, and save lots of people lots of time and frustration.

Filter Based on Missing Criteria

As in the above example, Grindr will allow you to search based on age, but not based on people who do not list their age. In my experience, most of the people hiding their age are over 50 and trying to hide that so they can talk to people who would have blocked them based on the age filter.

Grindr will allow you to search for people with photos, or people with photos, but they won't allow you to search for people without photos.

If Grindr plus could allow us to search for users based on their failure to mention their age, ethnicity, height, weight, or lack of a photo, this would be a huge relief and avoid a lot of unwanted and unpleasant interactions on the platform.

Block List and Favorites Import/Export

I treat Grindr accounts as semi disposable. Other times, my GPS spoofing gets reported and Grindr bans the account.

Each time one of these things happens, I have this huge task on my hands of rebuilding my block and favorites lists.

As a notable example, I have noticed that in my area, and presumably most others, there is a "welcome wagon" of desperate people who immediately message a new account with obscene language and images. Among my first tasks when creating a new account is finding and blocking them before they get the chance, and every time I get a message from one of them I think to myself "Damn, he beat me to it".

Being able to export and import block lists could also help users by allowing block lists to be shared. Reputable people in a given area could maintain lists of abusive or fake accounts and these could be distributed to users to improve safety and enjoyability for everybody.

Thanks for this mod and for your consideration of the above!

[R0rt1z2]

I pay for it anyway since my phone isn't rooted and I can only use GrindrPlus on my emulator

You can use GrindrPlus with LSPatch on your phone without needing root. Check out the README to learn how to set it up.

Regarding the VPN issue, use the debug builds from the CI releases. They have SSL pinning disabled, which should help you avoid registration errors.

As for the other suggestions, they’re really cool and have already been requested, so don’t worry - they’re all on my TODO list. Just keep in mind that I’m quite busy with life, and it might take some time to get through everything.

[DomOfKnight]

When I first got GrindrPlus, the readme said something to the effect that it "should" work with LSPatch, but that this was not recommended, so I did not at that time attempt, having gotten most of what I need out of the emulator on the PC. I actually got it functioning with LSPatch on the phone just before your reply, consequent of reading more about the software when 24.8 ceased to be usable.

Unfortunately, and I don't think this is your fault, but today 24.12 stopped working on my Moto G Power (from Straight Talk), but not on my LDPlayers. I can install the APK from APKMirror and use it, but after I patch it, the app crashes immediately upon open. Haven't worked on it too much yet, but I'll keep toying with it. Any suggestions appreciated.

I do not know what the debug builds from the CI releases are. I'll search the term but if there's anything you can do to point me in the right direction I'll appreciate that.

As for the timeline of feature implementation, of course I do not expect to have someone of your talent working around the clock for me so long as I'm not paying their mortgage. I am very grateful for the features thus far provided, and I am excited to see what you come up with next.

Thanks!

[R0rt1z2]

Try switching over to JingMatrix's LSPatch fork: LSPatch Manager v0.6.418 Release APK.

Debug builds are available in the Actions tab, or you can check the CI Telegram channel for the latest updates.

[DomOfKnight]

Super helpful. Thank you. The JingMatrix LSpatch from their releases page was crashing on my phone. Got a debug build from that actions page and problem solved.