USA TODAY – Hily says social media, not just dating apps, is increasingly shaping how people date. In a survey of 3K U.S. daters, 2 in 5 said they feel less attractive if they aren’t going on enough dates, while about one in five said dating “average” people could hurt their social image. Hily calls this the “Dater-Spectator Effect,” arguing that curated social media content is making some people choose dates based on how they will appear online rather than on genuine compatibility. The report also found that 48% of women and 53% of men plan to reduce their social media use to lessen its influence on their dating lives.