UK Law Forces Dating Apps to Proactively Block Cyberflashing

Posted on January 8, 2026
New law set to protect dating app users from ‘vile crime’ of cyberflashing

THE INDEPENDENT – A new UK law makes cyberflashing a priority offence under the Online Safety Act, forcing dating and social platforms to proactively detect and block unsolicited nude images. Regulators, including Ofcom, can fine non-compliant companies up to 10% of global revenue or block services. The move shifts responsibility from users to platforms, with Bumble cited as an early example through its AI-based nudity detection. The goal is to significantly improve online safety, particularly for women and girls.

See full article at The Independent

Parship Study: Why Singles Want Relationships in 2026

Posted on January 8, 2026
Parship Study: Why Singles Want Relationships in 2026

PARSHIP – Singles increasingly seek relationships as a safe emotional space, especially women (70%). Shared hobbies rank second. Men prioritize sexual fulfillment and reducing loneliness, while women focus more on emotional security, everyday support, and future planning (travel, home, career changes). Singles in their 40s and 50s show an above-average desire to re-ignite their sexual lives, while those aged 60 to 69 are particularly likely to seek companionship, shared interests, and a new beginning in later life (27%). Overall, the data shows that while men are more driven by loneliness relief and sexuality, women are more focused on emotional safety, everyday reliability, and the future. 

Loverse: An AI Dating App Recreating the Emotional Friction of Real Romance

Posted on January 8, 2026
A screenshot of Loverse app

JAPAN TIMES – Loverse is an AI dating app launched in 2023 by Goki Kusunoki that mimics real dating mechanics – swiping, matching, and rejection – but all matches are AI partners. Unlike typical AI companion apps that cater entirely to user preferences, Loverse deliberately recreates the friction, uncertainty, and emotional risk of real romance to trigger genuine emotional responses. The app uses thousands of distinct AI personalities rather than a single shared character to increase realism. Its core audience is unexpected: over 60% of users are married, most are over 40, and many seek safe, pseudo-romantic experiences similar to those found in games, fiction, or fandom culture.

See full article at Japan Times

WedKnott Secures Strategic Investment to Fuel Expansion Into Dubai and London

Posted on January 8, 2026
A couple in traditional Indian attire sitting together, surrounded by flower petals falling from above, with a vibrant orange and yellow floral backdrop.

NEWS24ONLINE – WedKnott, a premium matchmaking platform for Ivy League alumni and high-achieving professionals, has secured strategic investment from blockchain entrepreneur Sir Pratik Gauri, founder of $1.5B blockchain company 5ire. The funding supports WedKnott’s international expansion into Dubai and London, targeting wealthy Indian diaspora. Founded in 2018 by Abhinav Gandhi and Misha Malik, WedKnott operates from Noida and Mumbai. It has built a network of 250K members, and offers tiered memberships with psychology-based matchmaking. 

See full article at News24online

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Posted on January 8, 2026
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OPW – We’re dedicated to providing you with quality daily executive summaries and intelligence. Subscribe here, and send to a friend. We find news and info that will help make you smarter and help you make better informed decisions. Online Personals Watch has been run by the Courtland Brooks team since 2004.

Marriage Pact Accuses Date Drop of Copying Matchmaking Features

Posted on January 6, 2026
Date Drop

STANFORD DAILY – Marriage Pact has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Date Drop, alleging that Date Drop copied elements of its website design, marketing language, and ~25% of its matching questionnaire. Marriage Pact claims Date Drop’s founder reviewed years of its emails before launching the product, while Date Drop denies wrongdoing, says the features are common in matchmaking tools, and has made voluntary changes while retaining legal counsel. Legal experts say copying a business model or standard questionnaire content is unlikely to be illegal, and the dispute may either proceed to court or be resolved through compromise, with Date Drop continuing operations for now.

See full article at Stanford Daily

Dating App Companies Are Shifting Focus to Asia

Posted on January 5, 2026
dating apps

FIRST POST – Dating apps are pivoting to Asia as user growth declines in Western markets. In the first half of 2025, Tinder’s active users fell 10% to 51M, while Bumble declined 5% to 20.8M. Asia has become the main growth region, with India leading global downloads in 2025 at 205M, followed by China and Indonesia. Despite strong download growth, revenue remains concentrated in mature markets, with Japan the only Asian country in the top five by revenue, generating $2.3B in the first 11 months of 2025. India, where arranged marriages are declining, is one of the fastest-growing markets, prompting Match Group to launch its invitation-only app The League in Mumbai and Delhi, as dating platforms adapt to more marriage-oriented and culturally specific user behaviour across Asia.

See full article at First Post

Testing AI Matchmakers: More Structure, Same Dating Fatigue

Posted on January 5, 2026
AI matchmaking

BUSINESS INSIDER – Two journalists tested four AI matchmaking services – Amata, Facebook Dating, Sitch, and Three Day Rule – to assess whether chatbot-led matching improved dating outcomes. After weeks of interacting with AI matchmakers, reviewing suggested profiles, and going on several dates, the conclusion was that AI added structure and convenience, such as slower matching, automated profiles, and date planning, but did not eliminate dating fatigue or materially improve results. Some dates occurred, mainly through Amata and Sitch, but overall the experience felt like a modified version of traditional dating apps rather than a fundamental change.

See full article at Business Insider

Early January Marks the Busiest Period for Dating Apps, Tinder Data Shows

Posted on January 5, 2026
Early January Marks the Busiest Period for Dating Apps, Tinder Data Shows

CHOZUN BIZ – Tinder released data on Jan. 2 showing that early January is consistently the busiest period for dating apps, based on user activity from Jan. 1 to Feb. 14 last year. On “Dating Sunday” (Jan. 5), swipes increased ~13% above the annual average, messages and likes rose by ~10%, and matches reached 380 per second, ~10% higher than normal, while response times sped up by over two hours. Across the full peak season, daily messages averaged 10M more than usual and likes increased by 40M, reflecting heightened demand for new relationships at the start of the year.

See full article at Chosun Biz