Love and loathing: dating app based on mutual hate

A new dating app has arrived just in time for Valentine's Day.

Hater bills itself as an app that will help you "meet someone that hates the same stuff you do," whether that be Donald Trump, the liberal elite, the Oxford comma, or cilantro.

"Hater was originally a comedy sketch idea," says founder Brendan Alper.

"And the more I thought about it, I became obsessed with it, and did some research on it, and and eventually just decided this could work as a real thing."

The idea is rooted in research that people are more inclined to bond through shared negative opinions than they are through shared likes.

"It actually makes sense when you think about it," says Brendan.

"People love to hate on the same political candidate, they love to hate on the same sport teams. It's a more honest exercise I think."

Instead of swiping on people, you swipe on topics, such as 'drain hair', 'slow walkers' and 'being thrifty'.

"Over time, as you're swiping on these things, the app is actually figuring out your personality," Brendan says.

"And then it suggests people based off of your swipes and it finds the people who basically feel the same way about the things you do, with an emphasis on hate."

So what does Hater say about the nature of love these days?

"I think people are relatively sick and tired of this lovey-dovey view of online dating. We have OK Cupid ads where it's hearts floating around and people in a bathtub together and all these ridiculous things," says Brendan.

"People are looking for something a little more realistic, a little more sarcastic and a little more like real life."