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Black Mirror, the twisted British sci-fi anthology series turned Netflix smash hit, is one of the last things you’d want to inspire a real-life business. The show is notoriously dark, dystopian and disturbing to watch, with an outlook on human behavior and technological advancement that’s designed to leave viewers devastated. Despite its bleakness, Black Mirror is consistently praised by critics and has become a cult favorite for fans - and now, against all odds, it has inspired an enterprising Reddit user to launch a dating app based on a popular episode from season four.

Twenty-four year old programmer and entrepreneur Julian Alexander introduced his fellow redditors to Juliet, an AI matchmaker, in a post to the popular AMA subreddit.

The good, the bad, the ugly - it’s all part of the online dating experience. At their best, dating platforms help people connect and communicate with compatible partners they might never have met otherwise. At their worst, dating websites and apps are ground zero for ghosting, curving, catfishing, orbiting, breadcrumbing, prowling, pocketing, scrooging, cookie jarring, you-turning and countless other cutely-named but distressing dating behaviors.

Dating services are taking an increasingly strong stand against users who have forgotten their manners. Bumble has led the charge for years, making headlines by banning mirror selfies and profile pictures with deadly weapons. Other companies followed Bumble’s lead. Tinder asked users to swipe left on tiger photos. OkCupid introduced a Member Pledge to encourage more civil conversations. Grindr launched an initiative to curb racism and discrimination on its app.

You’re itching to book your next trip, but none of your friends are available and you don’t have a significant other. What’s a solo traveler to do? Apps dedicated to connecting travelers are on the rise. Some are explicitly designed to be digital matchmakers for singles with wanderlust, while others are intended to connect explorers looking for travel buddies or local guides. Here are five to try on your next adventure.

TourBar

TourBar is a mobile-first social network made to help jetsetters find dates or travel companions. Members can register as a solo traveler headed to a destination or as a local guide ready to reveal the best restaurants, beaches, bars and other must-see spots in their city. All users on the site are verified for a safer, less stressful international travel experience. TourBar’s ambitious goal is to become a platform for solo travelers of all kinds, where members can share travel plans and recent experiences with others looking to visit a destination.

Republicans are having a tough time meeting people over popular apps like Tinder, Bumble and OkCupid. So in larger numbers, they are turning to specialty right-wing dating apps to find like-minded matches.

A recent report from Vox examined this trend, noting that a growing number of profiles include the phrase “Trump supporters swipe left” – so that conservatives don’t even get a chance to strike up a conversation. OkCupid and Bumble have allowed members to state up front if they won’t date someone who doesn’t agree with their politics, making it harder for people on opposite sides of the aisle to connect romantically.

Because of the brewing frustration among conservative daters, some new dating apps catering to the excluded crowd have grown in recent months. Righter, Conservatives Only, Trump Singles, Patrio, and Donald Daters all offer a politically-friendly alternative to daters who are feeling discouraged with their current options – including Trump staffers who, according to an article in the Washingtonian, said they were having trouble getting dates in D.C.

Countless singles have professed their love for pizza on their dating profiles. But would they trust a purveyor of pizza to find their perfect romantic match? That may soon be an option for singles in the Netherlands, where Domino’s Pizza has revealed plans to launch a branded dating app.

Domino’s chief executive Don Meij announced the upcoming app, which will match customers according to their favorite toppings, at the company's general meeting in Brisbane in early November 2018.

“Simply swipe your favourite pizza and the Domino's dating app will connect you to other pizza lovers, find a match, and go on a date,” he said. “Domino's provides the meal, and even the conversation starters. What better to bond over than your shared love of pineapple on pizzas?”

Chappy, a dating app for gay and bisexual men, has announced a new partnership with GLAAD. As of November 2018, every chat initiated by Chappy users will raise money for GLAAD’S work to accelerate acceptance for the LGBTQ community through an initiative called “Chats For Charity.”

“Chats For Charity” is designed to unite and mobilize the LGBTQ community around a common interest, to support global LGBTQ voices, and to influence the community to be tolerant, respectful, inclusive and non-discriminatory.

“Every time Chappy users chat and connect with each other, they will be supporting GLAAD’s culture-changing LGBTQ work,” said Zeke Stokes, vice president of programs at GLAAD. “Chappy is making a powerful commitment to LGBTQ acceptance and we are proud to partner with them on this initiative as well as their broader work to build community.”