TECH CRUNCH – Clarifai has now deleted 3M OkCupid photos and the AI models trained on them. This is the first clear confirmation that the data was actually used for facial recognition training. The deletion follows the FTC case against OkCupid and Match Group, which settled without admitting wrongdoing.
INC – Match Group has agreed to settle an FTC lawsuit alleging that OkCupid shared millions of users’ personal data, including photos, with Clarifai in 2014 to train facial recognition systems without proper consent, despite privacy policies suggesting otherwise. The data reportedly included ~3M images along with demographic and location information. Under the settlement, Match must improve how it discloses and handles user data and implement compliance measures under oversight. The company does not admit wrongdoing, and the agreement is pending court approval.
BESTAIFOR.COM – Tinder’s Face Check reduced user exposure to bad actors by 60%+, according to their Oct. ’25 press release. The FTC reported U.S. romance scam losses reached $1.1B in 2023. OkCupid found that 70% of users view AI-generated profiles or messages as a violation of trust. AI enables recommendation engines. Safety tooling came second i.e. nudity filters, scam detection, identity checks. Now AI is helping users craft profiles and messages.
Does this translate to better long-term relationships. Harvard Data Science Review frames the tension: platforms optimize for behavioral signals – likes, messages, return sessions – not for relationship success. Hinge launched Prompt Feedback in Jan ’25, an AI coach that reviews your written answers to profile prompts and gives feedback. Bumble followed in Feb ’26 with Profile Guidance and Photo Feedback. OkCupid now uses OpenAI to generate new matching questions.
Online dating has moved toward ‘scoped assist.’ Hinge’s Convo Starters, launched Dec. ’25, gives AI-generated tips tied to a specific photo or prompt the other person posted. Grindr is testing Wingman, for profile crafting and conversation starters.
– Daniele Antoniani worked for Badoo 2005-2008 and is a long term team member on the Courtland Brooks team, since 2013.
OKCUPID – OkCupid released new Gen Z and Millennial survey data showing that money now plays a practical, upfront role in dating. Who pays matters less than avoiding awkwardness, with most first dates kept under $100. The biggest turnoffs are financial dishonesty and irresponsibility, not low income. Daters value transparency, budgeting, and fairness, and see financial responsibility as more attractive than generosity. Money conversations are happening earlier, but gradually, with flexibility replacing rigid rules around splitting costs. Overall, dating is being budgeted, not abandoned, with a shift toward intentional, low-cost experiences and shared financial values.
PROTOS – The hacking group ShinyHunters claims it has leaked ~10M user records from Match Group dating apps including Hinge, Match, and OKCupid. The data reportedly includes user IDs, IP addresses, match data, subscription identifiers, and some internal company records, and may have been obtained via the mobile analytics platform AppsFlyer. Researchers say the leak contains limited direct personal details but could still be used for highly targeted scams and fraud. ShinyHunters is known for extortion attempts, having previously forced AT&T to pay a bitcoin ransom, and has recently claimed other large-scale data leaks.
OPW – In 2025, we selected and summarized over 600 of the top news items mentioning 212 companies from the online dating industry. Tinder took the top spot, followed by Match Group and Hinge. Here’s the full list of dating companies that received the most press coverage last year:
1. Tinder – CEO Faye Iosotaluno was replaced by Spencer Rascoff who took over the brand in an attempt to reinvent it for Gen Z through safety tools, AI, and product experiments.
2. Match Group – hired a new CEO, Spencer Rascoff, but lost several long term C-level execs, acquired Her and Salams, and pivoted to AI and emerging markets.
3. Hinge – reached 15 MAU worldwide, launched in Mexico and Brazil and also launched new features, but ended the year with it’s founder and CEO Justin McLeod stepping down, being succeeded by the CMO, Jackie Jantos.
4. Grindr – saw a year of growth, with numerous new features launched, mostly AI and safety oriented. At the end of the year, he company experienced a buyout attempt, which ultimately failed due to financing uncertainty.
5. Bumble – Whitney Wolfe Herd returned as a CEO in an attempt to revive the company which lost over 90% of it’s market value in the last 4 years. The company announced major layoffs and shut down two previously acquired apps, Fruitz and Official. It launched Bumble BFF as a standalone app.
6. Happn – was acquired by Hello Group, introduced flexible relationship options, and launched AI powered “Perfect Date” tool.
7. Matrimony.com – invested in AI in and attempt to boost the growth, however later financial results showed rising costs and a year-on-year profit decline in Q2 FY2026. In December, the company announced a share buyback.
8. Three Day Rule – launched a “$1 Million Matchmaking” service, secured an investment from Palm Venture Studios. Later in the year, it introduced Tai, an AI-powered matchmaking app.
9.-10. Chapter2, Match.com, OkCupid, Sitch, Tea
Chapter 2 acquired M14 white label dating platform last year. Match.com released another Singles in America study in June. OkCupid was usually mentioned alongside other Match Group’s app and we also used several of OKCupid’s studies for posts last year. Sitch raised $6.7M and announced the U.S. expansion. Tea was first mentioned as a fast growing app that should help women spot red flags before a first date, but their news coverage quickly turned to negative with two hacks that exposed user data. In October, the app was removed from AppStore by Apple.
REUTERS – On Sept 24, US senators Maggie Hassan and Marsha Blackburn sent Match Group a letter demanding, by Oct 15, details on how Tinder, Hinge, and OkCupid detect and prevent romance scams. They warn that the apps’ design can create a false sense of trust that scammers exploit, citing the FBI’s $16 billion in global cybercrime losses last year, including significant losses from romance scams. The letter references Match’s past FTC case and asks for concrete anti-fraud measures as the company introduces new AI-driven features.
See full article at Reuters
OKCUPID BLOG – According to a 2025 survey of 1,200 OkCupid users, dating is slower and more intentional. 71% seek meaningful relationships, and 57% meet partners through apps, still the dominant method. Only 11% meet in real life. Values (61%) and past experiences (34%) shape how people date, not social media. Most daters prefer clarity but move at their own pace. 57% research matches before dates, and 79% say sexual compatibility is key. Ambition is valued more than income. Overall, dating today is thoughtful, emotionally aware, and still centered on apps.
OKCUPID – To mark Sexual Assault Awareness Month, OkCupid and It’s On Us surveyed ~500 singles to better understand how daters discuss consent, boundaries, and prevention. The results show that 75% of singles always talk about sexual boundaries, with Gen Z leading at 82%. 93% say they’re fully honest on dating profiles, and 78% discuss sexual preferences before intimacy. 63% talk openly about sexual and domestic violence with friends or family, with women 10% more likely to do so than men. 83% believe colleges should do more to prevent sexual assault, and 72% think the government should take stronger action.
OKCUPID BLOG – In 2025, dating is increasingly driven by shared values rather than surface-level attraction. According to OkCupid, over half of Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X say they won’t date across party lines. AI is also a concern: 6 in 10 users are turned off by AI-edited profile pictures, and nearly 90% of young daters believe AI can’t replace real human interaction. Intentional dating is on the rise, with the majority of users seeking long-term relationships. When it comes to money, fairness dominates – most believe the person who asks should pay, while younger daters increasingly favor splitting costs and shared responsibility in relationships.