THE GUARDIAN – Dating apps must cooperate to share information about "bad actors" using their services to abuse and harass other users, Australia's eSafety Commissioner said, as new data shows three-quarters of Australian adults reported at least one negative online experience in the last year. Julie Inman Grant said her agency may soon issue legal notices to online dating services, compelling them to report on how they are responding to violence and threats.
Category: All Worldwide (non UK/Euro/US)
Egyptian Police Hunt LGBT People on Dating Apps
BBC – In Egypt, homosexuality is highly stigmatized, and there have long been allegations that police are hunting LGBT people online. There is no explicit law against homosexuality in Egypt, but BBC investigation has found that the crime of "debauchery" – a sex work law – is used to criminalize the LGBT community. It is extremely difficult for LGBT people to openly meet potential dates in public in Egypt, so dating apps are a popular way to do that. But just using the apps can be grounds for arrest based on the incitement of debauchery or public morality laws in Egypt.
Calls to Ban Violent Offenders From Dating Apps in Australia
1NEWS – The prolific number of sexual assaults stemming from dating apps will be spotlighted in Australia this week, with advocates and the government coming together to work on reform. Australia's Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the government would work with states and territories to take necessary action. Asked whether dating apps were doing enough to stamp out criminal behavior, the minister said while some had their own pre-requisites, they weren't consistent across platforms. Three-quarters of Australian Institute of Criminology survey respondents had been victims of some form of online sexual violence in the past five years. One-third experienced in-person abuse from someone they met on an app, with 27% reporting incidents of sexual assault or coercion, such as drink spiking.
Dating Apps Now Most Popular Way for Newlyweds in Japan to Meet
JAPAN TIMES – 1 in every 5, or 22.6%, of newlywed couples found love online, according to a recent survey by Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance. Online encounters overtook couples who met at work or school, which both came in at 20.8%, and those brought together by friends and acquaintances at 9.4%. In previous editions of the survey in 2012, 2015 and 2016, no responding couples reported meeting via dating apps.
Indian Dating Apps Take on International Rivals
AFAQS – Though the end goal is the same – to find a partner, maybe get married, Indian and international dating apps are positioned distinctly. When it comes to advertising and marketing messages, Tinder and Bumble focus on the fine nuances of relationships, such as compatibility and consent. Whereas local dating apps like QuackQuack and Aisle have simpler messaging – focussing on finding a life partner. Aisle takes cheeky digs at Tinder and Bumble in its campaigns that highlight that it is not a 'casual' app at all. Tinder and Bumble tend to focus more on urban audiences. A Tier-II or III audience may not even understand the ads. 70% of QuackQuack's users now come from Tier-II and III cities, and there's an 11% increase in the app's female user base. The company has been around for 12 years now but, thanks to the smartphone boom and cheaper Internet access, it has added 10M users over the last two years alone.
by Aishwarya Ramesh
See full article at AFAQS
See the top news on QuackQuack See the top news on Bumble
See the top news on Aisle See the top news on Tinder
4 in 10 Singles in Singapore Have Never Dated
TODAY ONLINE – Four out of 10 single respondents in the 2021 Marriage and Parenthood survey had never dated before. But the proportion of people willing to find potential partners through online dating has doubled since 10 years ago. The 2021 Marriage and Parenthood Survey, which polled 5,800 Singapore residents aged 21 to 45, also found that a limited social circle or lack of opportunities were among the top reasons given by respondents for them not dating.
Dating Apps Thrive in China
NEW YORK TIMES – China has cracked down on many tech companies, but has allowed dating apps that provide social connections to flourish. The number of dating apps in China with over 1K downloads soared to 275 this year from 81 in 2017, according to data.ai. Downloads of the apps have increased, as have in-app purchases. Investors have also poured ~$5.3B into dating and social networking companies in the country last year, up from $300M in 2019, according to PitchBook. Zhang Lu, the founder of Soul, a dating app backed by Tencent, has said that "loneliness is the core problem we want to solve." In July, Soul filed for an IPO in Hong Kong after tripling its monthly active users to 31M between 2019 and 2021.
by Chang Che and Zixu Wang
See full article at New York Times
Tinder Japan Is Opening SwipeMart – Tinder Convenience Store
Indian Matchmaking Opens up for LGBT Community
MONEYCONTROL – Eyeing the LGBTQIA+ community, Matrimony.com has launched a platform called RainbowLuv which lets users look for serious relationships unlike casual matches offered by online dating apps. The idea came from a member of the LGBT community who went up to the company's chief product officer at a conference urging them to open up matchmaking for the community. The new platform is similar to their other matrimony apps which let users give detailed information for their profile. In addition, users can specify if they are looking for hook-ups or serious relationships. Then there is government-approved ID verification.
Match Group Ups Antitrust Pressure on Apple in India
REUTERS – Match Group has filed an antitrust case against Apple with the competition regulator in India, accusing it of "monopolistic conduct" that forces developers to pay high commissions for in-app purchases. A similar dispute in the Netherlands resulted in a 50M euro fine for Apple and an agreement to allow different payment methods in Dutch dating apps. Apple says in India, 87% of apps on its App Store are those which don't pay any commissions at all.