DAILYMAIL.CO.UK – A surge in post-holiday infidelity and relationship breakups has marked January as a peak period for marital tensions, dubbed "Blue Monday for relationships." Illicit Encounters, a dating site for affairs, reported a 33% rise in sign-ups compared to last year, driven by feelings of dissatisfaction and the desire for a fresh start. Meanwhile, "Divorce Day" sees law firms bracing for an influx of cases, with 80% of women expressing regret for not initiating divorce sooner. Key reasons for divorce include growing apart (54%), adultery (30%), and domestic abuse (24%).
Category: All Internet Dating Statistics
Share of U.S. Adults Living Alone Has Ticked Down in Recent Years
PEW RESEARCH – The share of U.S. adults living without a romantic partner has declined slightly, from 44% in 2019 to 42% in 2023, with modest increases in married adults (from 50% to 51%) and those cohabiting with a partner (from 6% to 7%). Those with lower education levels are more likely to be unpartnered. The decrease in unpartnered adults is attributed to fewer divorces rather than an increase in new marriages, with the divorce rate hitting a record low of 1.4% in 2023.
25% of Young Couples in Japan Meet Through Dating Apps
JAPAN TIMES – Dating apps in Japan are increasingly popular among Gen Z, with a government survey showing 25% of couples under 40 who married recently met online. Platforms like Pairs and Tinder are adapting to Gen Z preferences, emphasizing shared interests through features like "My Tags" and "Real-Mind-Matching." While apps expand options for niche hobbies and traits, users often prioritize physical attributes like height or appearance, leading to a "grass is greener" mentality. Despite the challenges, dating apps remain a significant way for young people to meet in a society with fewer traditional social opportunities.
59% of Couples Now Meet Online, Surpassing Traditional Methods
DAILY MAIL – By 2020–2022, 59% of couples met online, compared to just 12% in the early 2000s, marking a sharp rise in internet dating's dominance. Meeting through friends, which accounted for 33% of relationships in the 1960s, dropped to 15% in the 2020s. Workplace romances fell from 20% in the 1960s to just 7% today, while bars and restaurants, once responsible for 17% of introductions, have also declined. Online dating surpassed all other methods in the late 2010s when it overtook friends as the leading way couples meet.
Dating Sunday: Busiest Day for Dating Apps
NBC LOS ANGELES – Dating Sunday, the first Sunday of January, is the busiest day for dating apps, with Tinder reporting a 40% surge in users, a 22% rise in messages, and an 18% increase in likes compared to typical Sundays. Response times are 20 minutes faster, and the platform sees 58.7 million more likes in the six weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day.
‘It Feels Like Admin’: Why Are People Falling out of Love With Dating Apps
THE GUARDIAN – ~1.4M people in the UK left online dating in the past year, as experts say users view it more as a chore than a social activity. Ofcom’s 2024 Online Nation report reveals a 16% decline in the use of the top 10 dating apps between 2023 and 2024. Tinder saw the largest drop, losing over 500K users since May 2023, while Bumble and Hinge lost 368K and 131K, respectively. Researchers at the University of Leeds’ Centre for Love, Sex, and Relationships (CLSR) attribute the decline to user fatigue and a sense of detachment from reality. Natasha McKeever, a lecturer at CLSR, notes that virtual dating feels more like a task than a social experience. Another factor is the monopolization of dating apps; Match Group accounts for over half of the 7.27M users of the top 10 apps in 2024.
by Raphael Boyd
See full article at The Guardian
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Gen Z Is Changing How Dating Apps Are Used
MEDIAPOST – Gen Z is using dating apps not just for finding love but also for making friends and building communities. On BLK, over 30% of users in 2024 said they used the app to make friends, up from 18% in earlier years. Trends like "Crewsing" (finding a group or squad) and "Collabor-dating" (bonding over creative projects like making TikToks or playlists) show how Gen Z is looking for more than just romantic matches.
Two big trends to watch:
- Slow Dating: Taking time to build deeper, more meaningful connections.
- Collabor-dating: Connecting through shared hobbies or creative activities.
Gen Z Is Breaking up With Dating Apps, Ofcom Says
THE GUARDIAN – Ofcom reports a decline in the use of top UK dating apps like Tinder, Hinge, Bumble, and Grindr, with Gen Z increasingly favoring real-life connections. Tinder lost 600K users, and Hinge dropped by 131K since 2023. Analysts suggest the novelty of dating apps is fading for younger users, who now romanticize in-person interactions. Apps still appeal to younger adults, reaching 18% of 18-24-year-olds, but challenges like safety concerns and overwhelming choices persist. Match Group acknowledges the shift, aiming to create lower-pressure, more authentic experiences for Gen Z users.
by Dan Milmo
See full article at The Guardian
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Study: Relationships Formed Online Are as Strong as Those Formed in Person
PSYPOST – A recent study published in the journal Social Sciences suggests that romantic relationships initiated through dating apps are not significantly different in quality from those formed in person. Using surveys of 233 college students, researchers assessed relationship satisfaction, intimacy, and trust. Results showed comparable levels of satisfaction, suggesting that the stigma around online dating is diminishing as apps become normalized. However, the study was limited to a single university, highlighting the need for broader research.
Study: 60% of Couples Meet Online
