WBUR – On this episode of WBUR's On Point, host Amory Sivertson speaks with Whitney Wolfe Herd, CEO of Bumble; Adam Cohen-Aslatei, CEO of matchmaking company Three Day Rule; and Steven Cole, founder of Lunge, a dating app that connects people through fitness communities like gyms and run clubs. Whitney acknowledged that dating apps have left many people feeling exhausted. She said swiping has distorted human interaction by offering too much choice without enough context, reducing people to quick judgments. Returning to Bumble after stepping away, she wants to overhaul the app to emphasize safety, compatibility, and more complete profiles, moving away from gamification and shallow engagement. Adam Cohen-Aslatei said dating apps encourage treating people like objects, with quick photo-based judgments. At Three Day Rule, he focuses on matching through shared values and long-term compatibility, using feedback from dates to improve results. He argued dating is a skill people aren't taught, which makes the process harder. Steven Cole of Lunge noted that men often need 1,500 likes for one date on apps, and said in-person meetups like run clubs create more authentic connections.
Curated by the Courtland Brooks team