Month: December 2025

Simon Glinsky: The Brain Behind Match.com

Posted on December 30, 2025

LTR – Join us for an exclusive interview with Simon Glinsky, co-founder of Match.com, as he delves into the origins and evolution of one of the world’s first online dating platforms. Simon discusses his journey from McKinsey to Match, the initial challenges faced, and the innovative strategies that made Match.com a groundbreaking success. Learn about the first business plan, the role of technology in early online dating, and the future of AI in relationship-building from one of the key minds behind the brand.

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

The November LTR was kindly sponsored by Courtland Brooks

AI Matchmaking: Podcast With Adam Cohen-Aslatei, CEO of Three Day Rule

Posted on December 29, 2025
Promotional image for the podcast episode 'AI Matchmaking: AI Reshapes Dating for Lasting Love' featuring Adam Cohen-Aslatei, CEO of Three Day Rule, and Shana James, M.A. The image includes text with the episode title and highlights the focus on using AI for enhancing dating experiences.

GOOD MEN PROJECT – In a Practicing Love episode, Shana James speaks with Adam Cohen-Aslatei, CEO of Three Day Rule, about using AI to address dating burnout and failures of swipe-based apps, especially for relationship-ready singles over 40. The discussion focuses on how AI is used to identify compatibility patterns, improve matching quality, and reduce guesswork through tools like better photos, identity verification, and messaging support, while still relying on human judgment. Three Day Rule positions AI as a complement to intentional dating and human discernment, not a replacement for real connection.

See full article at Good Men Project

Dating Apps Turn to AI After User Growth and Revenue Declines

Posted on December 29, 2025

BUSINESS INSIDER – Dating apps including Tinder, Hinge, Bumble, and Grindr are investing tens of millions of dollars in AI-powered matchmaking to counter swipe fatigue, declining engagement, and falling paid-user numbers. Match Group’s stock is down ~75% over five years and its paying users fell 5% YOY, while Bumble’s share price is down ~50% this year, it laid off 30% of staff, and paying users dropped 18%. The companies are deploying generative AI for matchmaking, profile creation, flirting, and safety, with Tinder testing its Chemistry feature and Grindr launching AI-driven recommendation feeds. Analysts say AI alone cannot revive unpopular products. At the same time, AI-first startups are raising capital and entering the market, including Sitch, which has raised $9M and charges $90 for three matches, alongside new apps such as Known, Ditto, and Amata, while Facebook has introduced an AI dating assistant.

See full article at Business Insider

Known Raises $9.7M to Test Voice AI Dating App Focused on Faster In-Person Dates

Posted on December 22, 2025
Logo of the company 'known' designed in a modern font against a light background.

TECH CRUNCH – Known has raised $9.7M in funding as it tests a voice AI–driven dating app designed to move users toward faster in-person dates. The San Francisco–based startup replaces traditional profiles with long, conversational voice onboarding sessions that capture nuanced preferences and improve matching. In a local beta, the company says about 80% of introductions led to real-life dates, far higher than swipe-based apps. Matches must accept introductions and agree to dates within short time windows to reduce ghosting, and the app also helps schedule dates and choose restaurants. Known is currently testing in San Francisco ahead of a broader launch.

See full article at Tech Crunch

Daters Are More Open to Unemployed Partners, Tawkify Survey Finds

Posted on December 19, 2025
A man in a suit sitting on the sidewalk, looking concerned, with a cardboard sign that says 'Looking for a job' next to him.

FAST COMPANY – A new Tawkify survey of ~1K U.S. adults shows daters in 2025 are far more flexible about unemployment: only 29% see joblessness as a red flag, and just 42% consider living with parents a deal-breaker. Most employed singles (75%) are open to dating someone unemployed if they have a side hustle or personal project. But unemployment still reshapes dating behavior: only one in three jobless singles actively look for a partner, many stop dating or switch to cheaper dates, and 65% cite financial strain as the biggest barrier. Confidence also drops, with 62% feeling less desirable and 52% anxious about disclosing unemployment.

See full article at Fast Company

Bumble Scales Back Women-First Messaging After Legal Pressure

Posted on December 19, 2025
Bumble logo on a yellow background

THE OBSERVER – Bumble has weakened its long-standing “women message first” rule after facing more than 20K legal threats and a lawsuit from men’s-rights activists who argue the feature discriminates against men. The change comes during a difficult period for the company: its share price has fallen ~90% since 2021, user numbers are dropping, and Bumble has carried out two rounds of layoffs of ~30% each. Founder Whitney Wolfe Herd has returned as CEO and ordered a full rebuild of the app, but former staff say the company is drifting away from the women-first identity it was built on. The key lawsuit, led by activist lawyer Alfred Rava, remains ongoing, adding further pressure as Bumble struggles to compete with faster-growing rivals like Hinge.

See full article at The Observer

Worldcoin Launches Privacy-Preserving Identity on Tinder

Posted on December 19, 2025
Logo of Worldcoin featuring a stylized 'W' within a circle.

ALTCOINBUZZ – Worldcoin has integrated its privacy-preserving identity tools into Tinder, introducing a “verified human” badge and age assurance that confirm users are real and of age without revealing personal data.

See full article at Altcoinbuzz

US Survivors Sue Match Group, Accusing Hinge and Tinder of Allowing a Known Rapist to Stay on the Apps

Posted on December 18, 2025

THE GUARDIAN – Six U.S. women have filed a lawsuit against Match Group, accusing Hinge and Tinder of enabling a Denver cardiologist, Stephen Matthews, to continue drugging and assaulting women despite multiple reports about him. Matthews, convicted in 2024 and sentenced to up to 158 years, was reportedly able to stay on Hinge, be labeled a “standout match,” unmatch victims before they could report him, and even rejoin Match apps after bans. The suit, supported by findings from the Dating App Reporting Project, argues Match Group’s design and moderation failures “accommodated rapists” by allowing banned or reported users to remain active. Match Group has previously said it invests in safety tools, though product testing shows banned users can still return on several of its apps. Legal experts say the case may struggle due to Section 230, which shields platforms from liability, but survivors maintain Match had the resources to prevent further harm.

See full article at The Guardian

TikTok Monitored Grindr Activity Through Third-party Tracker, Privacy Group Alleges

Posted on December 18, 2025
A person holding a smartphone displaying the TikTok logo, with a blurred background showing a TikTok feed on a computer screen.

REUTERS –  Austrian privacy group NOYB has filed complaints against TikTok, Grindr, and AppsFlyer, alleging they violated EU GDPR rules by tracking users across apps and sharing sensitive data without consent. NOYB says a user discovered, through a data-access request, that TikTok had accessed information about their Grindr activity, along with data from other apps, via AppsFlyer. The group claims TikTok used this information for personalized ads, analytics, and security, and that neither Grindr nor AppsFlyer had legal grounds to transfer such data. NOYB is urging regulators to issue fines and halt the practices.

See full article at Jpost

Top Challenges for Online Daters, According to Coffee Meets Bagel

Posted on December 18, 2025
Coffee Meets Bagel logo

MASHABLE – Coffee Meets Bagel’s 2025 Dating Realness Report, based on a survey of 1K U.S. daters aged 21–35, finds that most people are serious about relationships. 61% want a spouse and 31% want a long-term partner, but 93% say dating is difficult. The biggest pain points are endless swiping (54%), ghosting or unmatching (47%), and not knowing how to start conversations (43%). 80% are comfortable with AI helping with dating tasks, but 65% would be less likely to engage with someone if they knew that person used AI to write their profile or messages. Emotional connection is a must for 73%, ahead of physical attraction (63%), shared values (59%), and ambition (57%). 

See full article at Mashable