CNBC – Mar 29 – A recent report by Topeka Capital Markets finds that the combination of tough economic times, a rise in the number of singles, social media and mobile technology is causing a resurgence in the online dating business. In a recent Pew Internet survey, 59% of Americans consider online dating a good way to meet people compared with 44% in 2005. 112M people in the U.S. are single (47%), up from 42% in 1994, according to the Census Bureau. "There are few stand-out investment opportunities these days," said Mark Brooks, an Internet dating industry consultant. Leading the pack is Match.com. Analysts recommends investors to purchase shares of IAC in anticipation of a Match.com spinoff. "In general, I would recommend mobile and social and large dating sites. Everything else is humdrum," said Brooks. Mobile technology is another driver of industry growth.
Month: March 2014
“Hinge” Dating App Introduces Friends Of Friends
NY TIMES – Mar 28 - Hinge looks very much like Tinder. But instead of random strangers, Hinge matches only users who share Facebook friends. The app was released last year by Justin McLeod, a 29-year-old tech entrepreneur. To get started, users sign in using Facebook and select their preferences. Every day at noon, the app sends a list of potential matches culled from one’s Facebook network.
Hannah Fry At TEDx Talked About Online Dating
PIPE DREAM – Mar 29 – Mathematician Hannah Fry shared top 3 tips for being successful in the search for love, during her TEDx talk at Binghamton University. Her first tip, “how to win at online dating,” covered steps to creating an OKCupid profile that gets attention. Fry said that though most people try and hide the aspects of their appearance that they feel others might find unappealing, they should actually show them off. Her second tip went over how a person might know when is the right time to settle down into a meaningful, long-term relationship. She explained that in order for one to maximize their chances of finding an ideal partner, assuming they are searching from when they turn 15 to when they turn 35, is to reject every partner that shows up during the first 37% of that stretch in time, and to settle with the next person that appears who is better than all of his or her predecessors. This procedure is called optimal stopping theory, is apparent in nature, according to Fry. Fry’s last was how to avoid divorce. The couples with the healthiest relationships are not the ones who put up with each other the best, but instead are the ones who are most willing to be vocal with one another about what is bothering them.
by Nicolas Vega
See full article at Pipe Dream
Match.com Lawsuit Loses Second Lead Plaintiff
NY POST – Mar 31 – Melissa "Midwest" Harrington, a popular ex-porn star is being dropped as the face of a multibillion-dollar lawsuit against Match.com, making her the second hottie since January to be removed from the case.The suit accuses Match.com and affiliated sites of posting fake dating profiles featuring photos of pretty people to attract paying members. Harringon never agreed to be part of the suit. Lawyer Evan Spencer plans to move forward without Harrington. It would include fewer allegations against Match and seek unspecified money damages only on behalf of Harrington’s ex-husband, who owned the rights to her sexy photos.
Singles 60+ Turns To Matchmakers
NY TIMES – Mar 28 – According to AARP, 45% of adults 65+ are divorced, separated or widowed. The 60-plus crowd is the fastest-growing segment in online daters. But online dating can be daunting for this demographic. And that’s why some seniors are calling matchmakers and dating coaches. ~90% of the estimated 3K matchmakers in the US will work with seniors, though not necessarily exclusively, said Lisa Clampitt, co-founder of the Matchmaking Institute. She warns prospective clients, especially women, to ask matchmakers how many older men they have in their database. “Older women often get ripped off with empty promises from matchmakers that they have plenty of men for them,” she said.
Brandon Wade, A Never-Been-Kissed Nerd, Built A ‘Sugar Baby’ Empire
BUSINESS INSIDER – Mar 27 – Brandon Wade has built SeekingArrangement.com, a dating site for "generous" men who are OK with paying for dates, and the women who are happy to accept the money. He's also a master of PR and word-of-mouth marketing. Last September Wade started Carrot Dating, a mobile app that requires men to offer bribes to women for dates. "In the very beginning I was a very lonely, shy and socially inept child", said Wade. "My mother told me to study very hard so I would be successful and rich which would make dating easier."
by Jim Edwards
See full article at Business Insider
See all posts on SeekingArrangement
See all posts on Carrot Dating
Minnesota Senator Introduced Bill To Protect Users’ Privacy On Mobiles
USA TODAY – Mar 27 – As mobile dating proliferates, the focus no longer is just on daters leery of scams or sexual predators but also on keeping their location confidential. Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., introduced legislation requiring companies to get customers' permission before collecting location data off their mobile devices and sharing it with others. It's a move that would greatly affect dating sites and apps.
An Axe To Grindr? Stories From The Dating Frontline
CHANNEL4 – Mar 28 - Grindr now has 4M users in 192 countries, and 10K new users download the app every day. "It's a physical facilitator, it's about how someone looks," says Pat Cash, a journalist for QX magazine and Grindr user. Mainly young men, free and single, download it up just for sex.
Dating Sites For STD Positive People Could Be Dangerous
BUSINESS INSIDER – Mar 28 – STD-positive dating sites such as H-YPE.com, PositivesDating.com, STDmatch.net, and PositiveSingles.com seek to match singles who have the same STDs. When signing up, people are asked to pick their STD from a drop-down menu. But there are ~100 different types of HPV out there. Even if both users have the same STD, they could still swap strains. Plus, if they have one STD, the chances that they have more than one are pretty high. These sites let users select only one.