Month: September 2025

Dating Apps Under Fire: Safety Warnings Aren’t Enough

Posted on September 16, 2025
Dating Apps Under Fire: Safety Warnings Aren't Enough

LSJ ONLINE – Attacks and scams on dating apps have surged, with Australia seeing reports more than double in the past year. Courts have sentenced offenders ranging from adult gangs to teenagers exploiting the platform. Grindr has issued in-app safety alerts and cooperates with law enforcement, but critics argue that warnings aren’t enough. Australia’s new Online Dating Code, signed by major apps including Tinder, Hinge, Bumble, and Grindr, requires safety measures, transparency reports, and stronger user protections. Still, legal experts stress that apps face growing expectations to go beyond alerts, with calls for identity verification, real-time cooperation with police, and proactive safeguards to stop predators before harm occurs.

See full article at LSJ Online

Online Dating Is Quietly Reshaping Who People Marry

Posted on September 16, 2025
The rise of online dating and heterogamous marriages paper

IFS – A new study from the Institute for Fiscal Studies finds that dating apps are linked with a measurable rise in interracial marriages. In U.S. states where Tinder usage is higher, the share of same-race marriages falls by about one percentage point. The effect is strongest for race, but much weaker for education, where online dating hasn’t shifted patterns nearly as much. The research also notes that race filters can limit this effect, showing how platform design directly shapes long-term relationship outcomes. Interestingly, despite the growth of apps, ~70% of serious relationships still begin offline, according to this study.

See full article at IFS

Hello Group Bets on AI to Halt Five-Year Revenue Slide

Posted on September 15, 2025
Logo of Hellogroup featuring a stylized red symbol and the wordmark in Chinese and English.

BENZINGA – Hello Group, once called the “Tinder of China,” is struggling to reverse a five-year revenue decline. Q2 revenue fell 2.6% to RMB 2.62B, with paid users dropping sharply, and the company reported its first net loss since 2021 due to a one-time tax hit. To rekindle growth, it has introduced AI-driven chat tools in its core Momo app, helping users start and sustain conversations. Its international business remains a bright spot, now contributing 17% of revenue after 73% year-on-year growth, though that pace is expected to slow. Despite investor fatigue, analysts are still cautiously optimistic, betting that AI features and overseas expansion could stabilize the business.

See full article at Benzinga

Tinder Targets Man’s One-User ‘Tender’ App Made for His Wife

Posted on September 15, 2025
Screenshots of the Tender app showcasing features like photo albums, user interaction, and tutorials.

DAILY STAR – Tinder sent a legal notice to UK developer Rhys Kentish, who built Tender: Couple Photos & Game so he could only “swipe right” on his wife. Tinder claims infringement over its trademark on the word “swipe” and the similarity between Tender and Tinder. Rhys agreed to replace “swipe” with “pan” but is disputing the name issue.

See full article at Daily Star

Match Group Comms Chief Joins Flo Health

Posted on September 15, 2025
A smiling woman with long blonde hair, wearing a black leather jacket, posing for a portrait against a blurred background.

PRWEEK – After more than 7 years leading global communications at Match Group, Justine Sacco has taken on a new challenge as Chief Communications Officer at Flo Health, the world’s leading women’s health app for menstrual and pregnancy tracking.

See full article at PRWeek

Match Group’s Turnaround: Innovation, AI, and Global Growth

Posted on September 12, 2025
A smartphone displaying the Match Group logo on a desk next to a laptop and a notepad. In the background, a plant is visible.

INVESTING – At the Goldman Sachs conference, Match Group CEO Spencer Rascoff laid out a turnaround strategy centered on product innovation and efficiency. Tinder is being restructured with new leadership and small, agile teams to win back Gen Z users, while Hinge continues its international push with a goal of reaching $1 billion in revenue by 2027. AI already plays a central role, from improving matching algorithms to helping users create better profiles and chats, and it’s also boosting internal productivity. Match is balancing reinvestment in growth with a commitment to return 100% of free cash flow to shareholders. With 250M singles worldwide still not on dating apps, the company sees plenty of room to grow, even as it works to re-establish Tinder’s appeal and maintain Hinge’s momentum.

See full article at Investing

Knot.dating Goes Global

Posted on September 12, 2025
Logo of Knot.dating on a brown gradient background.

AD HOC NEWS – Knot.dating, India’s AI-powered matrimony platform, has expanded to the US, UK, UAE, Singapore, and Australia. Unlike dating apps, it focuses only on marriage, combining strict verification with AI-driven conversations to build trust and reduce scams. The move targets millions of Indians abroad seeking serious, verified partners.

See full article at Ad Hoc News

Fourplay Social Is Now PlotTwist

Posted on September 10, 2025
Logo of Plot Twist, an app for single friends, featuring bold, playful typography on a blue background.

OPW – Fourplay Social, the app that lets singles team up with a friend and match with other pairs, has changed its name to PlotTwist. Cofounded by Danielle Dietzek, the platform focuses on making dating more social and less transactional by encouraging group outings.

The new name reflects the unexpected outcomes that often happen when people use the app — from new friendships and funny stories to romance. The company said the switch also clears up confusion the old name sometimes created.

Tinder Evolves Some Features Into Dating ‘Modes’

Posted on September 10, 2025
A mobile app interface displaying profiles of three users: Jace, Danny, and Nancy. Each profile includes a photo, name, age, and a brief description of the individual. The app layout features options for navigation at the top and buttons for interaction at the bottom.

TECH CRUNCH – Tinder is rolling out new “modes” to refresh its app and keep users engaged. Double Date, first launched in June, is now expanding worldwide and has already led to 25% more messages per match compared to one-on-one chats. College Mode, building on Tinder U, will allow students to connect with others beyond their own campus and is set to launch later this autumn. Alongside these, the app’s home screen introduces a “For You” mode that preserves the classic Tinder experience, while the company prepares more modes focused on interests, intentions, and different ways of connecting. Match Group highlighted these developments during its Q2 2025 earnings call, signaling a push to adapt to Gen Z’s preference for low-pressure, flexible ways of meeting new people.

See full article at Tech Crunch

Wable Secures $1.5M to Expand Neurodivergent Dating App to UK and US

Posted on September 9, 2025
Logo of 'Wable' on a purple background with the slogan 'For the willing and able'.

SMART COMPANY – Wable, a Melbourne-based dating and social app for neurodivergent people, has raised $1.5M to fund its expansion into the UK and US. Founded in 2024 by Holly Fowler and inspired by Love on the Spectrum star Michael Theo, the app has grown to ~11K users in Australia and New Zealand. The funding, led by Paul Sharbanee of Taurus Capital, will support team growth, marketing, and new features, following Wable’s official US and UK launch in July 2025.

See full article at Smart Company