TECH CRUNCH – Dating app Raw exposed users' personal data and precise location information due to a security flaw. The app leaked names, birthdates, preferences, and GPS data through a public server lacking proper authentication. The app did not use end-to-end encryption as claimed. Raw fixed the bug after being contacted, but has not notified affected users or undergone a third-party security audit. The vulnerability was due to an insecure direct object reference (IDOR), a known and easily exploitable bug.
Month: May 2025
Announcing LTR Edition 42 With Authors Tim Ash, Dr Limor Gottlieb and Maria Avgitidis Pyrgiotakis
OPW – Edition 42 of the LTR (Love, Tech, Relationships) online experience will be on Wednesday, May 14, at 1 pm EST (New York time).
In this edition, Mark Brooks, industry veteran and LTR conference organizer, will sit down with sex and relationship psychologist Dr. Limor Gottlieb and Tim Ash, international keynote speaker and expert in evolutionary psychology, for a fireside chat about their new book Primal Dating: The Unflinching Evolutionary Psychology Guide to Modern Relationships. They'll explore the instincts that shape dating, infidelity, and partner choice – and what platforms and users need to know today. Then, Mark will be joined by Maria Avgitidis Pyrgiotakis, fourth-generation matchmaker, CEO of Agape Match, and host of the Ask a Matchmaker podcast, to talk about her upcoming book Ask a Matchmaker: Matchmaker Maria's No-Nonsense Guide to Finding Love, out May 20, 2025.
If you hold a full-time leadership role at an Internet dating company, you are welcome to join IDEA and LTR events for free.
Why attend LTR?
💰 Free: No registration fees – your budget is no barrier.
🏠 Flexible: Attend from anywhere – no travel required.
⏰ Convenient: Access live. 90 minutes only.
See the LTR Edition 42 speakers and invite page here
Email mark@courtlandbrooks.com to RSVP.
This LTR is kindly sponsored by Dating Through Curiosity.
Japanese Dating App Tapple Launches Single Status Verification Via Government ID
JAPAN TIMES – Tapple, a Japanese dating app with ~20 users, has launched a new feature that allows users to verify their single status using Japan's government-issued My Number card. The verification is done through the official Myna Portal, and adds a certification to the user's profile. This is the first time such verification has been integrated into a major dating app in Japan. A survey by Tapple found that 69% of women and 54% of men were concerned about matches being secretly married.
Tinder to Use Biometric ID Verification From World in Japan
TECH CRUNCH – World, a biometric ID company known for its eyeball-scanning Orb devices, is partnering with Match Group to verify Tinder users in Japan. Users will confirm their identity through World's system, which creates digital IDs based on biometric data.
Grindr Launches AI Match Feature With AWS and Anthropic
TECH IN ASIA – Grindr has partnered with AWS and Anthropic to power its new AI-driven “A-List” feature. The feature, designed to help users reconnect with past matches and surface new ones via curated lists and chat summaries, will launch to 25% of Grindr Unlimited users by the end of April. CEO George Arison cited privacy, flexibility, and cost efficiency as key drivers for the shift, noting a 50% drop in per-user AI costs in four months. The move marks a broader industry pivot from geolocation-based matching to AI-driven personalization, as dating apps seek to improve engagement and retention. However, user skepticism remains high, with only 10% believing AI will improve dating outcomes, underscoring the tension between innovation and authenticity in modern matchmaking.
Dating Apps Turn to AI to Help Gen Z Users Improve Flirting and Conversation Skills
WIRED – Dating apps are introducing AI-driven tools to help users improve conversation skills and reduce awkward interactions. Tinder launched “The Game Game,” an AI voice simulator that places users in fictional scenarios and offers feedback to boost flirting confidence. Grindr is testing an AI “wingman” powered by Anthropic and AWS, designed to craft witty messages, highlight past connections, and summarize chats. Hinge released a connection guide with fill-in-the-blank templates to help Gen Z users navigate real-life interactions and overcome a fear of appearing “cringey.” Bumble introduced “Instant Match,” which lets users scan QR codes at events to match instantly and view shared interests, bypassing small talk.
by Elana Klein
See full article at Wired
See the top news on Tinder See the top news on Grindr
See the top news on Bumble See the top news on Hinge
OkCupid: Daters Want Alignment on Politics, Money, and Intentions
OKCUPID BLOG – In 2025, dating is increasingly driven by shared values rather than surface-level attraction. According to OkCupid, over half of Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X say they won’t date across party lines. AI is also a concern: 6 in 10 users are turned off by AI-edited profile pictures, and nearly 90% of young daters believe AI can’t replace real human interaction. Intentional dating is on the rise, with the majority of users seeking long-term relationships. When it comes to money, fairness dominates – most believe the person who asks should pay, while younger daters increasingly favor splitting costs and shared responsibility in relationships.
Hinge Appoints First Chief Risk Officer to Strengthen User Safety
HINGE – Hinge has named Jeff Dunn as its first Chief Risk Officer. Previously VP of Trust & Safety, Dunn will now oversee risk and safety across the platform. He brings experience from Google, ICANN, and Harvard, and has led the development of features like the Comment Filter and AI-powered anti-harassment tools.
Match Group Inks Information-Sharing Deal With Activist Anson Funds
MARKETWATCH – Match Group has struck a deal with activist investor Anson Funds to avoid a boardroom battle. Anson will drop its proposal to change how Match elects board members and withdraw its three board nominees. In return, Match agreed to share information with Anson and announced that Kelly Campbell, former president of Peacock, would join its board. Match also plans to let shareholders vote on switching to annual board elections starting in 2026.