Category: Hinge

Dating Apps to Add Age Checks in the UK

Posted on July 24, 2025

Age verification is comingMASHABLE – Starting July 25, dating apps in the UK must implement age verification under the Online Safety Act. Feeld will use Yoti to confirm user age via phone number or selfie, without storing personal data. Tinder will require a clear face photo and may request ID if age can't be verified. Bumble says it already enforces strict age checks and uses selfie and ID verification. Hinge will scan a face photo to confirm users are 18+, storing it for up to three months, with results kept for a year. Rollouts in the U.S. and EU may follow based on regional laws.

See full article at Mashable

Summarized by the Courtland Brooks team

Study Finds 1 in 4 Teens Use Dating Apps With No Major Mental Health Impact

Posted on July 24, 2025


1 in 4 Teens Use Dating Apps With No Major Mental Health ImpactNORTHWESTERN NOW – A Northwestern Medicine study tracking 149 teens aged 13-18 over six months found that 23.5% used dating apps, including Tinder, Yubo, Hinge, Bumble, and Pdbee. Despite higher initial rates of risky behavior among users, there were no significant differences in depression or social anxiety between users and non-users at follow-up. Most teen users identified as sexual or gender minorities, suggesting these apps may offer social support. The study used the Effortless Assessment Research System to passively track real-time keyboard activity and was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and the Morgan Stanley Foundation.

See full article at Northwestern Now

Summarized by the Courtland Brooks team

Dating Apps Exploit User Data for AI Without Proper Consent, EFF Warns

Posted on July 22, 2025

EFFEFF – Dating apps are deploying AI tools without proper user consent, often using sensitive data like chat history, sexual preferences, and photos to train AI systems. Apps like Bumble, Tinder, Grindr, and Hinge have introduced AI features – from chatbots to photo selectors – without clear opt-in consent, transparency, or adequate privacy safeguards. Bumble, for example, shared user data with OpenAI to power AI-generated messages without proper disclosure, prompting a GDPR complaint. Grindr plans even deeper AI integration despite a history of privacy violations. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) calls for strict opt-in consent for all AI-related data use and urges lawmakers to pass robust consumer privacy legislation to protect dating app users, especially vulnerable communities.

See full article at EFF

Summarized by the Courtland Brooks team

‘Yearners’ Are Sick of Playing It Cool on Dating Apps

Posted on July 15, 2025
Screenshot of the Tinder app showcasing the 'Double Date' feature, with profiles of two male users and a chat screen displaying a conversation.

WIRED – More daters, especially young men, are openly embracing emotional vulnerability online – calling themselves “yearners.” The trend, driven by TikTok and rising social media chatter, reflects frustration with emotionally distant dating culture. Dating apps like Hinge and Tinder are responding: Hinge added features to reward enthusiasm in messages; Tinder launched “Double Date” to boost interaction. Interest in yearning has doubled in two years. The shift signals a move away from playing it cool toward a direct, intentional connection.

by Jason Parham
See full article at Wired

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Hinge & Meetic Hackathons

Posted on July 10, 2025

Meetic Resonance
LINKEDIN – Hinge and Meetic held their annual hackathons, where teams across the organization come together to find new ways for people to form IRL connections. The Hinge winner was "Hinge IRL," a proposal to get more people on IRL dates by offering immediate options for nearby meetups with people who match your interests and timing. The Meetic winner was "Resonance." Resonance would use AI voice technology to capture a user's energy, personality, and truth, allowing micro-conversations to open the doors to real connections. Tinder's hackathon is in the fall.

See full article at LinkedIn

Mark Brooks: Internal company hackathons are a GREAT way to build excitement and create real innovation. Does your company do an annual hackathon or innovation hothouse? Careful facilitation and lead-in are key. We can help.

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How This Employee Perk Can up Your Dating Game

Posted on July 10, 2025

HingeINC – Hinge gives its 300+ employees $100 per month to spend on dates or quality time with loved ones, promoting real-life connection as part of its benefits package. The perk applies to anyone – partners, friends, or family – and is shared in a company Slack channel. Hinge also offers a $3,000 annual "Be Your Best Self" fund for personal development and holds biannual summits and biweekly success-story sessions to maintain morale. While most U.S. companies are cutting wellness benefits, Hinge sees them as essential to fostering meaningful work and relationships.

by Kayla Webster
See full article at INC

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Hinge CEO Justin McLeod Says Dating AI Chatbots Is ‘Playing With Fire’

Posted on June 24, 2025
Hinge CEO Justin McLeod speaking into a microphone during an interview.

THE VERGE – In an interview, Hinge CEO Justin McLeod outlined how Hinge is using AI to improve matchmaking and coaching while staying firmly focused on facilitating real-world, human relationships. Hinge distinguishes itself from apps like Tinder by aiming to help users find meaningful connections, not just increase engagement. McLeod explained that Hinge pivoted in 2015 from chasing usage metrics to optimizing for successful dates, using features like the “We Met” survey to measure outcomes. The company is now applying large language models to improve profile guidance, matching algorithms, and in-app coaching, already seeing a 15% boost in matches and dates. Despite this, McLeod rejected the trend toward AI companionship, calling it “playing with fire” and likening it to emotional junk food. He emphasized that AI should be a tool to support dating, not replace it, and warned of the broader mental health risks of virtual relationships.

by Nilay Patel
See full article at The Verge

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Hinge Is Planning Its Own Mobile Payment System to Avoid App Store Fees

Posted on June 24, 2025
Image promoting Hinge with the text 'Hinge' and 'Designed to be deleted' overlaying a close-up of two people's legs seated on wooden benches.

THE VERGE – With its own payment system, Hinge might be able to offer lower prices and invest more in the company. Hinge co-founder and CEO Justin McLeod says he plans to introduce the alternative payment service by the end of this year.

by Jay Peters
See full article at The Verge

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Why Is Hinge Betting on Substack

Posted on June 13, 2025
Cover of 'No Ordinary Love' anthology by Hinge

ADWEEK – Hinge is turning to Substack to reach Gen Z through authentic, long-form storytelling instead of traditional marketing. Hinge used the platform to share real user love stories as part of its “No Ordinary Love” campaign, building brand trust and increasing consideration by 10.5%.

Key takeaways:

  • Substack offers a clutter-free, ad-free space to engage audiences through real narratives, not sales pitches.
  • Gen Z values authenticity, not promotional fluff – apps that succeed on Substack focus on relatable content, not direct marketing.
  • Partnering with existing Substack creators can help tap into engaged niche communities.
  • While Substack may not directly drive conversions, it strengthens brand loyalty and trust – vital in the dating space.

Important: Copy-pasting email marketing content won’t work. Substack users expect sincerity, creativity, and personal voice.

by Elena Cavender
See full article at AdWeek

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Tinder and Hinge Gave 3-Hour Pitches – Rascoff Saw Why One Is Winning

Posted on June 5, 2025

Tinder HingeFAST COMPANY – After taking over as CEO of Match Group in February, Spencer Rascoff, former Zillow CEO, set out to understand the company's 45+ dating apps, including Tinder and Hinge. With Match's stock down over 80% since 2021 and Tinder's growth stalled, Rascoff asked the leadership teams of Tinder and Hinge to each deliver a three-hour presentation. Tinder's team focused heavily on financials, product roadmaps, and internal culture. In contrast, Hinge's team began with deep consumer insights on how Gen Z and millennials date, think, and connect, only briefly mentioning financials at the end. Rascoff said this user-first mindset explains Hinge's 39% revenue growth and Tinder's stagnation. Days later, Tinder CEO Faye Iosotaluno resigned. Match shares rose 1.3% following the news.

by Yasmin Gagne
See full article at Fast Company

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