VICE – June 16 – An investigation by Privacy International (PI) showed that some companies are advertising on Facebook using the data of people they have never interacted with. In October of 2019, PI began an investigation – published today – into advertisers that upload their customers' personal data to Facebook, using the site's "Download Your Information" (DYI) tool. Brands, found to have uploaded user data to Facebook without individuals' consent or knowledge, included the dating app Happn and artists associated with the Universal Music Group. In response, Happn admitted that one PI staff member's information was still in a database shared with Facebook, when it should have been removed. Otherwise, they said that if Privacy International "requesters have seen Happn promoted content on Facebook while they were in the restriction list, it was not under any particular instructions from Happn". Facebook also blamed outside parties. The PI report also claims Facebook makes it difficult for users to seek information about companies using and profiting from their personal data.
Category: happn
Coronavirus Has Changed Dating Apps Irreversibly
SIFTED.EU – May 4 – Dating apps say that virtual features will last beyond the pandemic as video dates become the new norm. "The current normalisation of video communication is in one way irreversible," says Philip Jonzon Jarl, the cofounder of Swedish dating app Relate. "There might be a new kind of pre-date step being born." Founded in 2018 to make matches based on "values" rather than profile pics, and with $1.3M behind it, Relate has seen its active users increase 40% during lockdown. Another UK app, The Intro, was founded in London in 2019, just months before lockdown. Founder George Burgess, who previously launched several educational apps, says this has pulled in thousands of users across the capital – despite having raised just £750k. Her, a UK-based dating app geared towards lesbian, queer, bisexual and bicurious women and non-binary people, has 5.5M users around the world. Founded by Robyn Exton in the UK in 2015, it has raised $2M to date. Her moved its matchmaking mixers online to host virtual speed dating events. The founder says virtual speed dating will almost certainly continue after the pandemic. Meanwhile, Swiss dating app Once has built a live video feature in just five days. Already ~18K virtual dates have taken place on the app. The record duration of a virtual date so far is 11 hours and forty minutes (between two people in Paris). Not every dating app has been fast off the mark. Happn says it has seen an 18% increase in the lengths of in-app conversations and will launch video dating this month. Muzmatch, the worlds' biggest dating app for Muslims, is also preparing to launch video and voice calling within the coming weeks.
by Kitty Knowles
See full article at Sifted.eu
See all posts on Her See all posts on Happn
See the top news on Once See the top news on Muzmatch
Happn Users Can Now Expand Their Search Range
TRUSTED REVIEWS – Apr 24 – Happn users can normally like or reject other Happn users who have been within a 250-metre radius of them at some point during the day. They can now expand the range all the way up to 90km. The app will display nearby Happn users first though. Happn has also teased a couple of upcoming features: Emotions and SuperNote. Emotions will allow users to react to certain aspects of their crush's profile, and SuperNote will allow users to message someone who hasn't liked them back. They'll get one SuperNote per day. Both features are currently in testing, and are scheduled to launch this summer.
Happn Creates Micro-dating Series at Samsung KX
CAMPAIGNLIVE.CO.UK – Mar 17 – Samsung and dating app Happn are creating a micro-dating destination at the tech brand's King's Cross store. The event series is a response to a Samsung study that found 40% of Brits restrict themselves to only dating their "type on paper", while 58% wait up to a month to physically meet their match and 42% say those dates "lack a spark". Guests will have their heart rate tracked with a Galaxy watch during three 15-minute dates to see who gets their heart racing. The experience also includes complimentary drinks and virtual ice-breakers on mobile devices.
IDEA Launches Social Safety Badge for Dating Apps
BUSINESSWIRE – Dec 9 – IDEA (The Internet Dating Excellence Association) is launching the Social Safety Badge and Guidelines for high quality dating apps. "The goal of this badge is to help users identify dating, matchmaking and social apps that are distinguished in their commitment to a safe and exceptional experience for users," said IDEA President Mark Brooks.
The guidelines cover:
- Respect For Others
- Respect For The Rights Of Others
- Respect For Minors
- Respect For The Community
- Respect For Larger Community
The following dating apps are in the initial launch group and have signed on to the badge, stating that they will adhere to the guidelines:
- CitySwoon
- GlobalMuslimMatch
- Happn
- Jaumo
- LunchClick
- MeetMe
- muzmatch
- Namoro
- Once
- Say Allo
- Skout
- Tagged
- Vouch
IDEA was formed in 2007 as the Internet Dating Executive Alliance and changed to the Internet Dating Excellence Association in 2018. The group is made up of 700+ dating industry executives and dating company leaders and innovators from around the world.
OPW Podcast – The Top Dating Industry News for Dec 3rd
OPW – Dec 3 – Momo up 22%, e-babies 40%, Happn gives 5% to AIDS, IDEA SUMMIT.
For the top weekly dating industry news in ~2 minutes subscribe to OPW's Two Minute Tuesdays (TMT) podcast on Breaker , Google Podcasts
, Spotify
, Anchor
, Overcast
, Radio Public
or Apple Podcasts
.
Dating App Happn to Donate 5% of Money Generated on World Aids Day Next Month
CHARITY DIGITAL NEWS – Nov 28 – Happn is teaming up with a global Aids prevention organisation for a fundraising campaign next month. On the day Happn will donate 5% of its proceeds, including in-app sales, to Red. The partnership will continue during December when app users will be invited to take part in Red's 'Shopathon' campaign.
Tinder and Other Dating Apps Don’t Comply With Dutch Privacy Laws
by Janene Pieters
See full article at NL Times
Airport Dating Apps
FODORS – Oct 17 – A study released by HSBC found that 1 in 50 passengers meet a romantic partner while in flight, and at least half of us befriend our seatmates. Inflighto app aims to enhance passengers' experiences with features like real-time maps and weather radar, but its thousands of users engage most intimately with the Inflight Chat. Inflighto tracks all commercial itineraries and creates a dedicated chat room among passengers and crew for each individual flight. It requires no personal log-in information, so passengers can remain anonymous if they like and develop a personal connection with others at their own pace. Dating app Happn is connecting users based on real-time proximity. Happn is popular among air travelers who use the dating app to "heart" other users spotted browsing at terminal shops, or strike up conversation with a passenger seated several rows away in flight. According to Happn's user data, the most romantic air travelers find love at Amsterdam Schipol, Istanbul Ataruk, London Heathrow, and Singapore Changi Airports.
Top Dating Apps Worldwide for September
REPUBLIC WORLD – Oct 6 – Tinder was the most downloaded app in the online dating category during September 2019, according to research firm Sensor Tower. Tinder had close to 5.5M installs in September, resulting in a total of 4% increase from the same period last year. Badoo was the second most installed dating app worldwide. Tantan, MeetMe, and Happn rounded out the top five most installed dating apps worldwide for the month. Here is the full list of top 10 dating apps.