POPSUGAR – Young people are turning away from traditional dating apps and moving toward “friends-first” dating that revives the idea of the meet-cute. Instead of swiping through strangers, they prefer meeting through mutual friends or curated communities that feel safer and more authentic. Apps such as Cerca, which matches users through contacts in their phone books, and Fourplay Social, which focuses on double dates, are leading this shift. The idea is that mutual connections create accountability and reduce the risk of deception or unsafe encounters. Cerca’s founder, Myles Slayton, says users trust their friends’ opinions more than algorithms, though concerns about privacy and data security remain.