Month: July 2025

Announcing LTR Edition 44 With Dr. Justin Garcia, Executive Director of the Kinsey Institute

Posted on July 24, 2025

LTR
OPW – Edition 44 of the LTR (Love, Tech, Relationships) online experience will be on Wednesday, August 6th, at 12 pm (noon) EST (New York time).

In this edition, Mark Brooks will interview Dr. Justin Garcia, Executive Director of the Kinsey Institute. Since 2010, Dr. Garcia has also served as Scientific Advisor to Match.com, where he contributes to the company’s long-running Singles in America study, an annual deep dive into the behaviors and attitudes of singles across the U.S. The conversation will explore Dr. Garcia’s research at the Kinsey Institute, key trends uncovered through over a decade of data, and the lessons these insights hold for leaders in the dating industry.

If you hold a full-time leadership role at an online dating company, you are welcome to join IDEA and LTR events for free.

Why attend LTR?

🏠 Flexible: Attend from anywhere – no travel required.
⏰ Convenient: Access live. 90 minutes only.
💰 Free: No registration fees

See the LTR Edition 44 speakers and invite page here

Email mark@courtlandbrooks.com to RSVP.

This LTR is kindly sponsored by Dating Through Curiosity.

Bumble Stock Soars as the Company Announces Layoffs, Lifts Q2 Outlook

Posted on July 24, 2025

Bumble incINVESTOPEDIA – Bumble shares surged ~20% after the company announced it will cut 30% of its workforce (~240 jobs), to streamline operations and save up to $40M annually. The company expects $13–$18M in restructuring costs and raised its Q2 revenue forecast to $244 – $249M, with adjusted EBITDA now projected at $88–$93M. Despite the rally, Bumble stock remains down ~20% year-to-date.

See full article at Investopedia

Summarized by the Courtland Brooks team

Knot.dating Sets Income Criteria for Men, None for Women

Posted on July 24, 2025

Knot.dating logoPTI – Knot.dating, a new elite matchmaking app in India, requires men to earn at least ₹50 lakhs annually ($58K) to join, while placing no income requirement on women. Aimed at serious relationship seekers, the platform uses conversational AI and personal relationship managers to match users based on emotional compatibility. The invite-only app targets India’s top 1% and emphasizes verified, private, and intent-driven matchmaking.

See full article at PTI

Summarized by the Courtland Brooks team

Dr Limor Gottlieb and Tim Ash – a Fireside Chat on Primal Dating

Posted on July 23, 2025

LTR – Join evolutionary psychology experts, Dr. Limor Gottlieb and Tim Ash, an international keynote speaker and expert in evolutionary psychology, for an engaging discussion about their upcoming book, Primal Dating: The Unflinching Evolutionary Psychology Guide to Modern Relationships. In this interview, they explore the underlying instincts that shape dating dynamics, infidelity, and partner selection. They also discuss the impact of dating apps on modern romance, the differences between male and female mating strategies, and the concept of sexual marketplace value.

[**See the video here on YouTube**]

The May LTR was kindly sponsored by Dating Through Curiosity and Courtland Brooks

Bumble Launches In-app Advice Hub for Daters

Posted on July 23, 2025
Screenshots of Bumble's in-app dating advice hub showcasing different features, including video and article recommendations on dating topics, along with a dating expert providing advice.

MASHABLE – Bumble launches an in-app dating advice hub with content from dating and relationship experts. Themes include being yourself on the app, moving from the app to IRL, self-love, first dates, and connecting with others. Bumble’s press release states that this “marks a broader evolution in Bumble’s approach, blending technology with human insight.”

See full article at Mashable

Summarized by the Courtland Brooks team

Dating Apps Exploit User Data for AI Without Proper Consent, EFF Warns

Posted on July 22, 2025

EFFEFF – Dating apps are deploying AI tools without proper user consent, often using sensitive data like chat history, sexual preferences, and photos to train AI systems. Apps like Bumble, Tinder, Grindr, and Hinge have introduced AI features – from chatbots to photo selectors – without clear opt-in consent, transparency, or adequate privacy safeguards. Bumble, for example, shared user data with OpenAI to power AI-generated messages without proper disclosure, prompting a GDPR complaint. Grindr plans even deeper AI integration despite a history of privacy violations. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) calls for strict opt-in consent for all AI-related data use and urges lawmakers to pass robust consumer privacy legislation to protect dating app users, especially vulnerable communities.

See full article at EFF

Summarized by the Courtland Brooks team

German Court Limits Parship Cancellations

Posted on July 22, 2025

Parship logo
THE MUNINCH EYE – Germany's Federal Court ruled that Parship's automatic six-month contract extensions are invalid if users weren't given fair notice, such as the 12-week cancellation period previously required. However, the court rejected a general right for users to cancel dating platform contracts at any time, stating that services like Parship don't involve the personal trust found in traditional matchmaking. Users affected by invalid extensions can request refunds – those in a collective action from 2018, others from 2022- but only for the extended period, not the original contract. Longer contracts (12 or 24 months) signed before February 2022 remain valid under the old legal framework, while contracts after March 2022 are governed by updated laws allowing monthly cancellations post-initial term.

See full article at The Munich Eye

Summarized by the Courtland Brooks team

Noii Pivots From Video Speed Dating to Offline Events

Posted on July 18, 2025
Logo of Noii, a dating app, featuring the word 'noii' in dark purple with a heart symbol and the tagline 'DATING. DIFFERENT.'

LINKEDIN – Laura Matter and her team are shutting down their video speed dating app Noii and shifting focus to offline events. After four years of building an alternative to Tinder with hundreds of users each night, they’ve concluded the market can’t support another dating app. While the product worked and people used it, it wasn’t enough. They’re now betting on in-person events instead, where demand is stronger and competition less intense.

See full article at LinkedIn

Summarized by the Courtland Brooks team

Match Group Adds Qloo’ Cultural AI to Dating Apps for Taste-Based Matchmaking

Posted on July 18, 2025

Qloo logo
PR NEWSWIRE – Match Group's dating apps, BLK, Chispa, Upward, and Yuzu, have integrated Qloo's Cultural AI to create more personalized user experiences. Qloo is an AI platform that maps people's tastes in music, film, travel, and more, helping dating apps recommend matches based on shared cultural interests rather than just looks or location. The new feature lets users add interactive interests to their profiles, each with a short description. Early results show it's working: Yuzu users who added interests saw a 70% increase in Likes. The integration supports Affinity Apps' mission to build dating profiles around personality and individuality, not just proximity.

See full article at PR Newswire

Summarized by the Courtland Brooks team

Bumble Pushes Into Tier-2 India With Regional Ads, Fitness Dating, and Gen Z Tools

Posted on July 16, 2025

Bumble logoSOCIAL SAMOSA – Bumble's recent India strategy focused on deep localisation and experiential growth. In 2023–2024, it expanded to cities like Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chennai, and Chandigarh with regional campaigns using local languages. The "Rundowner" event, in partnership with PUMA, turned speed dating into a fitness event, targeting 21–35-year-olds with city runs and post-run mixers. The "Opening Moves" campaign, led by Khushi Kapoor and Vedang Raina, addressed internal data showing nearly half of women wanted more conversation-starting tools, reframing Bumble's first-move feature. Product-led storytelling also drove campaigns like "Kindness is Sexy," which promoted in-app compliments and resulted in 4M feature clicks and a 9% brand awareness lift. Bumble also tapped into cricket culture with the "Special Delivery" campaign featuring Ravi Shastri, generating 430M impressions and strengthening appeal with Gen Z and cricket fans alike.

See full article at Social Samosa

Summarized by the Courtland Brooks team