PSYPOST – A study published in Archives of Sexual Behavior used eye-tracking to reveal gender differences in evaluating online dating profiles. Men focused mostly on physical attractiveness, while women considered both looks and financial resources. Men paid more attention to unattractive women only with higher incomes, while women scrutinized men's faces more if they had lower incomes. This supports theories that men prioritize physical attractiveness for short-term relationships, and women seek resource-rich partners for long-term relationships.
Category: All Internet Dating Statistics
Over 50s Is the Most Lucrative Age Group for Speed Dating
Online Dating Caused a Rise in US Income Inequality, Research Paper Shows
BLOOMBERG – A research paper by the Federal Reserve Banks of Dallas and St. Louis and Haverford College found that online dating has contributed to rising income inequality in the US. Since dating apps became popular, people are more likely to marry partners with similar education and income levels, accounting for about half of the increase in income inequality between 1980 and 2020. This trend has led to a 3% increase in the Gini coefficient, which measures income inequality, by concentrating wealth in certain households.
BLK Dating App Survey Finds 43% of Black Gen Z Singles Are Celibate
ESSENCE – A recent survey by BLK Dating App revealed that 43% of Black Gen Z daters are currently practicing celibacy. Among this group, 64% of Black women have chosen a celibate lifestyle, with 61% citing personal growth or self-discovery as the primary motivation. Additionally, many respondents expressed frustration with the toxic dating environment as another key reason for their decision.
Survey Finds 1 in 4 Young Married Couples in Japan Met Through Dating Apps
Study Finds Most Men Favor Career-Focused Partners Over Traditional Gender Roles
Dating Apps in India: a Danger for Women
After Modi came to power in 2014, he rolled out the red carpet for tech giants, including Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge. Created by and for Americans, they saw a promising market in India: half of the most populous country in the world is under 25 years old and has the fastest growth rate of mobile users. They landed with American products without adapting them to a very complex social fabric, an ancient caste system and patriarchy, and a long history of suppression of women's rights. India is the most dangerous country in the world to be a woman. With the arrival of Modi and these apps, the situation has worsened. Women feel unprotected by the law and authorities. India has the largest gender imbalance in the world: there are more than 63 million 'extra' men.
Match Group entered India in 2014 with Tinder, then Hinge in 2015. Bumble arrived in 2017. When it came to adapting their products to India, all the companies failed.
In early 2014, Jess Carbino, earned her PhD in Psychology & Sociology from UCLA, and became a Sociologist for Tinder. Carbino's 3-person team had the mission to soak up the political and social context of the countries to which the group planned to expand. Sometimes, they traveled to the place. This was not the case in India. The report they prepared for this country included references to the diversity of religions and languages, the caste hierarchy, the high rate of violence against women, and the prevalence of arranged marriages – 90% of weddings in India are agreed between families. "We were fully aware that a disruption was occurring," says Carbino. "And we knew that as the next generations were less corseted by their parents, we could create change."
Hrithik Bhandari was 19 years old when, in 2018, Tinder made him a "campus ambassador" at the National Institute of Technology in Jodhpur. In return, he got a subscription and occasional invitations to events. He walked around with a Tinder t-shirt, giving away merchandise and convincing his mates to join him.
The proof that Match Group was aware of the abuse problems in India is the 'Let's talk about consent' campaign from 2021. A short film showed a young couple. She breaks up because he forces her to have sex when she doesn't want to.
"With a popular culture that has blurred the boundaries of consent for generations, and a society that doesn't recognize the importance of discussing boundaries, modern dating is complex for the country's young people," reads the statement that accompanied the presentation of the film. Campaigns on social networks in 2014 challenged women, portraying them as independent and free young people, but their 'target' had become the men who did not respect them.
Only 1 in 4 crimes against women [in India] end in a conviction, and 95% of the reported cases are still pending processing, according to the latest report of the National Crime Records Bureau of India.
The biggest pending task for apps is identity verification, which is limited to contrasting a 'selfie' with profile photos. Criminal record and sexual & violent crimes checks are still pending.
The Indian Penal Code considers any sexual relationship without consent a rape, a serious crime. The problem is the definition of consent: being in the same room as the aggressor is often equated with giving permission to be intimate. People Against Rape in India helps survivors take their cases to court. "Society, even the authorities, do not feel sorry for the victim," says its founder, Yogita Bhayana.
by Irene Benedicto
See full article at El Periodico
Mark Brooks: Here is another excellent video by Tinder India on boundaries and permission, with 1.6m views. And another with 1.3M views. I think the underpinnings of any great loving relationship are honesty, respect, and communication. But how on earth do we train this and navigate all the cultural, religious, and psychological complexity? Is it really our irresponsibility? This article raises more questions than answers. It made me realize that perhaps we need a place for more open (yet private) discussion as an industry. Please email me your thoughts at mark@courtlandbrooks.com.
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Majority of Israeli Singles Are Looking for a Committed Relationship
THE JERUSALEM POST – 75% of Israeli singles are looking for a committed relationship this summer in light of the ongoing war, according to data published by OKCupid in Israel. When asked what OkCupid's users were most looking forward to this summer, 43% of the respondents said they plan to travel the country and around the world and 38% expressed a desire to go on dates. Concerning the Israel-Hamas War, 11% of the singles expressed depression and stress, and 32% of the respondents expressed hope and optimism. The Remaining 57% reported a combination of emotions. The war has made singles more eager to find lasting relationships, according to the data OkCupid gathered.
Global Online Dating Market Report
Young Singles Favor Offline Dating Events
AXIOS – Young singles are increasingly attending in-person events to meet partners, according to a June report by Eventbrite. This trend reflects a shift away from dating apps, with a 42% increase in attendance at dating events from 2022 to 2023. Over 1.5M searches for such events were recorded between May 2023 and April 2024. Gen Z and Millennials, fatigued by swiping, seek authentic connections through social clubs and hobby groups. Safety concerns are prominent, with 41% of Gen Z preferring introductions through mutual friends.