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A 23-year-old woman says she was banned from Tinder after using the app to campaign for Bernie Sanders

Robyn Gerdich
Robyn Gedrich is a big Bernie Sanders supporter.
Photo Courtesy of Robyn Gedrich

Like many 23-year-olds, Robyn Gedrich uses Tinder.

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But for the past two weeks, Gedrich has used the app not to find potential hook-ups, but to campaign for democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.

To help other people "feel the bern," Gedrich says she swipes right on every person who pops up on the app. The app limits you to 50 swipes per day, so Gerdich says she uses all her swipes and reaches out to everyone who matches with her. For the record, Gedrich isn't officially working for the Sanders campaign. 

"I started it about two weeks ago when we got that snow storm in New Jersey," Gerdich told Tech Insider. "There's so many lazy millennials that would never read about Bernie unless someone sent it right to them [on Tinder]."

Once she matches with someone, Gedrich says she uses a standard opening line, directing the person towards a Bernie Sanders texting hotline. 
"Do you feel the bern? Please text WORK to 82623 for me. Thanks," Gedrich told us. 
Here's a look at her Tindering in action. 
Tinder for Bernie
Photo Courtesy of Robyn Gedrich
Gedrich estimates she's messaged around 600 men and says responses were varied. Some of the guys were quick to respond with a "Trump 2016" comment or tell her that elections are irrelevant because "we are all doomed." But other actually engaged in discussion with her about about Sander's campaign.

"I was happy to see that people who once didn't know anything about Bernie learned about him and the corruption he's fighting," Gedrich told TI.

Of course, plenty of people thought she was an automated robot. 

"Even though I would respond back to them, I guess some matches still thought I was fake," Gedrich explained. 

As of Thursday evening, Gedrich told TI she's been banned from Tinder and isn't able to use the app when she opens it on her phone. She says didn't get any notifications leading up to the banning of her account, even though a Tinder representative previously told Tech Insider users will receive "up to three warnings ... letting them know that their account will be locked and put under review if they keep being reported." Tech Insider has reached out to Tinder and we'll update this post if we hear back. 

 
If she's able to regain access to her Tinder account, Gedrich says she'll go right back to swiping right for Sanders. 

"He makes me have faith again that our country can be a better place and even make the world a better place," she said. 

 
Bernie Sanders
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