Matt BartlettMatt Bartlett

Matt Bartlett is an Auckland-based writer who teaches law at the University of Auckland. He writes about the intersection of technology and society.

Our Covid-19 response proves politicians can take radical action when they want to

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If there’s one lesson to take from our widely praised Covid-19 response, it’s that real societal change is possible – as long as the political will is there, writes Matt Bartlett. One of the most remarkable and under-reported aspects of New Zealand’s response to Covid-19 is how the government eliminated homelessness during the lockdown period. … Read more

How Tinder’s algorithm is micromanaging your dating life 

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Tinder became the world’s most popular dating app by promising serendipitous connections with online strangers. But there’s nothing random about the way it works, explains Matt Bartlett. While most leisure activities were throttled by the Covid lockdown, others thrived  –  just ask any of your friends who did Yoga With Adrienne. Another unlikely winner? Dating … Read more

Ignore the pandemic productivity guilt trap – it’s bullshit anyway

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It’s OK if you don’t come out of lockdown with abs. We are living through the worst global pandemic since the Spanish Flu in 1918 and the beginning of an economic calamity that has already claimed the jobs of millions of workers the world over. Hospitals are full, schools are closed and many countries are in full lockdown. We’re practising … Read more