Kiss A Boy-Band Member - There's An App For That

I

f you've never heard of One Direction, it's probably because you're over the age of 14, and we can't blame you. But sooner or later, they'll probably be a household name, so lock up your daughters...Except, with a new iPhone app, you won't be able to stop them from "dating" the band members.

The app also includes things like the option to adopt a pet together.

A new iPhone app called—what else—Date One Direction lets users "date" their favorite band member. The app's instructions let pre-teen girls know that these boys like lots of attention—shower them with things like breakfast in bed, picnic dates, and bubble baths (seriously?) and they'll be all yours. The app also includes things like the option to adopt a pet with your favorite guy (because we all know that buying dog food together is super romantic) and you can pick out matching outfits for yourself to wear.

While the idea doesn't sound that far removed from say, creating a family on the Sims where you're married to your celebrity crush, the fact that the boys in the band are in no way autonomous and the only way you get them to "like you" is by doing nice things for them (and flirting, etc), we think it'd be easy for girls to get the wrong message about how relationships are supposed to be.

One-sided infatuation is a problematic thing for teenagers (and probably some adults, too), and teaching teenagers that this is the way they're supposed to date is a little bizarre.

Also, seriously, One Direction are what, 15? Yikes.