VICE – Frolly is a new dating app launched in October 2025 that matches people based on their compatibility as dog lovers. Users create profiles for themselves and their dogs, and the app pairs matches using details like breed, energy level, and lifestyle. It donates 25% of profits to animal welfare and plans to expand beyond Charlotte.
See full article at Vice
FAST COMPANY – AppsFlyer reports that 69% of dating apps downloaded in 2025 were deleted within a month, up from 65% in 2024. Pew Research finds that 53% of adults under 30 have used a dating site or app, making them the age group most engaged with online dating. Hinge continues to outperform its competitors, with Gen Z making up 56% of its users and paying subscribers rising by 17%. Tinder’s new features are gaining traction with younger users, with Double Date used mainly by people under 30 and College Mode active among one in four eligible students. Kinsey Institute data shows that Gen Z prefers to meet people offline, and Bloomberg reports that they are uncomfortable with AI-generated bios or messages, although they accept AI tools that quietly support safety, photo selection, and profile quality.
See full article at Fast Company
OPW – Edition 47 of the LTR (Love, Tech, Relationships) online experience will be on Wednesday, December 3rd, at 12 pm (noon) EST (New York time).
In this edition of LTR, Mark Brooks will sit down with Grant Langston, eHarmony’s original marketing lead and later CEO. They’ll look back at the early days of eHarmony, how the company was started, and the practical challenges of building and scaling a major online dating platform.
Following the interview, Mark will present the ‘Top 10 Things Dating & Social Business Leaders Should Be Doing in 2026’ — building on his previous talks on industry trends to now focus on action.
If you hold a full-time leadership role at an online dating company, you are welcome to join LTR events for free.
Why attend LTR?
🏠 Flexible: Attend from anywhere – no travel required.
⏰ Convenient: Live session. 90 minutes.
💰 Free: No registration fees.
See the LTR Edition 47 speakers and invite page here.
Email mark@courtlandbrooks.com to RSVP.
BLOOMBERG – Shaadi.com’s parent company, People Interactive, is quietly preparing for an IPO. Anupam Mittal, its founder and a familiar face from Shark Tank India, has begun early talks with investment bankers, though nothing formal has been appointed yet. If this moves forward, Shaadi.com would join Matrimony.com, which listed in 2017. Shaadi.com remains one of India’s biggest and oldest digital matchmaking platforms, competing with Matrimony.com and Info Edge’s Jeevansathi. For now, the company has not commented, and the discussions remain early and private, but the intent to explore a listing is clearly on the table.
See full article at Bloomberg
OFCOM – Ofcom is phasing in the UK’s Online Safety Act through 2027, creating a full regulatory system that makes online platforms legally responsible for tackling illegal content, protecting children, improving age-verification, publishing transparency reports, and strengthening terms of service. They’ve already issued key rules on illegal harms and child safety, and the next steps include new guidance for protecting women and girls, requirements for handling data about deceased children, super-complaints, accredited technologies for detecting child sexual abuse and terrorism content, media-literacy standards, and extra duties for major platforms (like controls for fraudulent ads, ID verification, and protections for journalism and democratic content). By 2027, major services will need to comply fully, publish public safety reports, meet stricter enforcement standards, and possibly even face new requirements for app stores and expanded priority offences such as cyberflashing and self-harm encouragement.
See full article at Ofcom website
SO.GAY – Archer has launched its boldest campaign yet by appointing singer David Archuleta as its “Chief Trophies Officer” in a playful Devil Wears Prada–inspired promo highlighting the app’s new Trophies feature, a system of 25+ unlockable badges earned through real activity on the app that makes a user’s interests, type, and dating style visible from the start.
See full article at So.Gay
FREEDOM FOR ALL AMERICANS – ~27% of couples who married in 2025 met through online dating, according to The Knot’s large Real Weddings Study of ~17,000 U.S. couples. This reflects a major shift in how relationships form, with dating apps becoming a mainstream gateway into long-term partnerships. The figure comes from newlyweds and is higher than older, broader national surveys because it focuses on recent relationships in the app era. Other research from Pew, Stanford, and PNAS-linked studies shows the same pattern: online channels are now the dominant way modern couples meet, especially for younger adults and LGBTQ users.
See full article at Freedom for All Americans
NEW YORK TIMES – Facebook Dating has quietly become one of the biggest dating services, now topping 21M daily users by offering a free, easy alternative to paid apps. Its growth shows how Facebook is reinventing itself: younger users may ignore the main feed, but they return for Marketplace, Messenger, and Dating. The service benefits from real profiles, strong network effects, and Meta’s decision not to charge subscriptions, keeping all features open to everyone. Usage among under-30s is rising, older users remain active, and Meta is expanding the product with AI tools like an AI dating assistant, an AI matchmaker called Meet Cute, and even friend-as-matchmaker features. Despite some reports of scams, many users prefer Facebook Dating because it gives them more matches without paying.
SCANX – Info Edge’s subsidiary Jeevansathi Internet Services has bought the remaining 3.65% stake in Aisle Network Pvt. Ltd. for ₹5.5 crore ($620K), making Aisle a wholly-owned subsidiary. The deal includes 1,279 equity shares and ends prior seller arrangements. Aisle runs Indian dating apps Aisle, Anbe, Arike, Neetho, and Jalebi. Financially, it reported a turnover of ₹39.62 crore ($4.5M), loss of ₹17.8 crore ($2M), and net worth of ₹20.86 crore ($2.4M).
See full article at ScanX
LOS ANGELES TIMES – Tinder is testing a new direction by bringing dating offline through campus events and influencer-driven activations. At UCLA, the app hosted a live concert with DJ Disco Lines, promoted through TikTok creators and exclusive in-app access to event details. The goal is to re-engage Gen Z by turning swiping fatigue into real-world connection, using music and social experiences to make dating feel fun again. This marks the start of Tinder’s broader push to merge digital matchmaking with in-person social events that drive both engagement and cultural relevance.
See full article at Los Angeles Times