What is Raya? The exclusive dating app Ben Affleck got ghosted on

The secretive dating app Raya has gained attention recently, after a viral TikTok video involving Ben Affleck sliding into a comedian’s DMs.It’s put Raya — jokingly known as Illuminati Tinder — in the eye of a public it was never pitched to, which is bound to erode some of its exclusive qualities. Wait, celebrities have their own dating app?Not really.Raya isn’t just for A-listers, but it’s reportedly quite popular with a number of household names.Ok, so what is Raya then?Raya was launched in 2015 to minimal fanfare, and bills itself as a “community” of people interested in “dating, networking and making new friends”.And you probably aren’t invited.While the app’s user base isn’t restricted to Oscar winners and supermodels, about 92 per cent of membership applications fail, according to the New York Times.And it’s not as though there are wall-to-wall celebrities inside. The app trades on exclusivity.TikTok user and comedian Nivine Jay matched with Ben Affleck, but made the assumption it was a fake profile and unmatched with it. It wasn’t until the star of Gone Girl and Justice League sent her a video message on Instagram asking “why did you unmatch me?” that she realised it was for real. How do I get on Raya?OK, now you’re…
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