STANDARD.CO.UK – DineMe is a new dating app focusing on connecting people through their shared love of food and drink. It allows users to craft their ideal date by choosing a bar, restaurant, or cuisine, and setting preferences for time, date, and topics of conversation, including who will pay the bill. Unlike other dating apps, DineMe doesn't feature details like height, work, education, and lifestyle choices, which some may find limiting. Users can see photos, names, ages, interests, and bios of potential matches.
Month: January 2024
New Dating App Encourages Users to Showcase Their “Flaws”
JEWISH JOURNAL – Flawed, a new dating app founded by Tanya Tsikanovsky, encourages users to showcase their perceived flaws alongside their strengths in their profiles. The app requires users to list at least five flaws, fostering a culture of authenticity and transparency. The app offers a selection of over a hundred potential flaws.
OkCupid Celebrates Two Decades of Connections
OKCUPID BLOG – OkCupid celebrates its 20th anniversary, highlighting key trends shaping the future of dating and relationships.
Key trends include:
- Inde-Dating: A majority of Gen Z and Millennial daters value independence.
- Poli-Dating: Political discussions are increasingly important.
- Tralationships: Younger generations prioritize honesty, transparency, and authenticity in relationships.
- Dateheists: The importance of shared religion is declining among singles
- VideoDating: Video chatting before meeting in person is becoming a preferred step for daters
Ads for Match Group Ran Alongside Disturbing Content on Meta’s Platforms
CNN NEWSSOURCE – Meta advertisers, including Match Group and Walmart, have raised concerns to the tech giant about their ads appearing alongside disturbing sexual content, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez alleged in an updated complaint in his lawsuit against Meta. The updated complaint comes after Torrez sued Meta and CEO Mark Zuckerberg last month, accusing the company of creating a "breeding ground" for child predators. The lawsuit alleges that Meta exposes young users to sexual content and makes it possible for adult users they don’t know to contact them, putting children at risk of abuse or exploitation. Match Group's CEO allegedly reached out directly to Zuckerberg to note that "Meta is placing ads adjacent to offensive, obscene – and potentially illegal – content, including sexualization of minors and gender-based violence," and said that Match had cut its advertising spending on Meta's platforms.
Coffee Meets Bagel App Hit With Lawsuit Over Biometric Selfies
LAW360 – Dating app Coffee Meets Bagel was hit with a proposed class action in California federal court this week by a user claiming the company illegally stores face pictures in violation of biometric privacy laws because the app requires users to take a selfie upon creating their account.
Match Group Promotes Faye Iosotaluno to Tinder CEO
TECH CRUNCH – Match Group has named Faye Iosotaluno as the new Tinder CEO, two years after the previous CEO Renate Nyborg left the company in August 2022. During that time, Match Group CEO Bernard Kim held the position. Iosotaluno has been working at the Match Group since 2017. She was promoted from the company’s chief strategy officer position to Tinder’s chief operating officer in 2022 when Nyborg departed. Nyborg is now building an AI companion startup backed by Sequoia and Andrew Ng’s AI Fund.
Hinge CEO Justin McLeod Denies Dating app Has ‘Attractiveness Score’
DAILYMAIL.CO.UK – Hinge CEO Justin McLeod denies the app uses an 'attractiveness score' for matchmaking, countering user complaints about unappealing matches. He explains that Hinge's algorithm is based on individual preferences derived from likes and rejections. Despite McLeod's assurances, some users remain skeptical, believing attractive matches are hidden behind a paywall. This dissatisfaction is amplified on social media, where users express frustration over their perceived unattractiveness due to the quality of their matches.
Match Shares Surge on Report Activist Investor Elliott Takes $1B Stake
CNBC – Shares of Match Group surged up to 12% after reports that Elliott Management, a prominent activist investing firm, had acquired a ~$1B stake in the company. This surge came amidst Match's recent struggles with leadership changes and slowing growth, following a period of rapid expansion during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Elliott, known for its successful engagements with major tech companies, is expected to interact with Match's management, though specifics of this involvement are unclear. Match has experienced significant CEO turnover, with seven CEOs since 2012. While some analysts remain optimistic about Match, its stock performance and leadership stability are areas of focus. Elliott's history includes notable campaigns with Salesforce, Pinterest, Crown Castle, and Phillips 66.
Can This AI Dating App Improve Your Love Life?
AUSTIN MONTHLY – Volar, an AI-based dating app created by Ben Chiang, aims to simplify the early stages of online dating by using AI to initiate conversations. However, its effectiveness in authentically enhancing the dating experience is questionable, as it reduces human interaction in forming initial connections. Launched in Austin with over 3,000 users, the app's reliance on AI raises concerns about the privacy and genuineness of dating interactions.
by Bryan C. Parker
See full article a t Austin Monthly
Elliott Investment Management Acquires $1 Billion Stake in Match Group
BLOOMBERG – Elliott Investment Management has built a stake of ~$1 billion in Match Group. The activist investor plans to push the online dating company to take steps to boost its stock price. Shares of Match Group have fallen 10.5% in the past year, leaving it with a market value of about $10.3 billion.
by Michael Hytha
See full article at Bloomberg
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