USA TODAY – Many users are turning to dating apps not for connection, but for quick validation, a habit dubbed "ego-scrolling." Instead of seeking real conversations, people swipe for a boost to self-esteem, often driven by boredom, anxiety, or loneliness. Experts say this behavior offers short-term emotional relief but rarely leads to meaningful relationships and can deepen dating fatigue and frustration.
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Speed Dating Is Making a Comeback
USA TODAY – Speed dating is experiencing a resurgence among Gen Z and millennials, who are seeking alternatives to dating apps. Experts suggest that speed dating offers a more personal way to meet potential partners and is a great option for those looking for genuine connections. Eventbrite has reported significant increases in speed dating events and attendance in recent years. Despite this trend, dating apps continue to be a popular way for people to meet, with a 2023 Pew Research Center report indicating that one-in-ten partnered adults met their significant other online. However, there is a notable lack of enthusiasm for online dating among Gen Z, with only 26% of users between 18 and 29.
Match.com Study: Singles Are Reevaluating Dating and Sex During the Pandemic
USA TODAY – According to Match's 11th annual Singles in America study, a survey of ~5K individuals in the U.S., singles are focused on intentional dating instead of casual relationships. Helen Fisher, a senior research fellow at the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University and chief science advisor at Match, said that it's a "historic time" for a "dating reset." "(Singles) really want emotional maturity," Fisher said. 11% of singles say they "want to date casually," compared to 62% who said that they "seek more meaningful, committed relationships." Meanwhile, 65% said they want a relationship within the next year.
What to Do if You Experience Harassment on Dating Apps
USA TODAY – Feb 27 – According to Pew Research Center, harassment is an issue when online dating. ~37% of online dating users say someone on a dating site or app continued to contact them even after he or she said they weren't interested in communicating, the study found. 35% of users say someone on a dating site or app sent them a sexually explicit message or image they did not ask for. ~30% say they have been called an offensive name and ~10% say someone threatened to physically harm them. Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) and dating/relationship coach Rachel Dack says regarding "anything that makes you uncomfortable, it's essential to speak up and set boundaries." Dr. Kelly Campbell, Professor of Psychology at California State University, San Bernardino says police can also be a resource. Sometimes harassers will lash out if you try to correct their behavior. "And I think, at that point, it's probably best to disengage," says Rachel Dack. "As much as we want to control or teach or change people, it's a myth or an illusion that we can." Dack also recommends not letting the disappointing interactions halt your online dating efforts.
Safety Tip for Online Dating Users
USA TODAY – Jan 21 – Grindr, OkCupid and Tinder were at the center of controversy last week when researchers accused the companies of disclosing highly personal information and breaking privacy laws. Each app denied many of the accusations. When users sign up for a dating app, "they're putting information out there that people can use against them. Whether it's hackers or predators," said Jo O'Reilly, a data privacy expert at ProPrivacy. And like many other tech sectors, dating apps are rife with data breaches.
Dating app tips from an Internet privacy expert:
- Be aware that free apps are more likely to sell your data.
- Use only your first name or a nickname.
- Don't give away your home address, work address, phone number or email address in private messages, or when signing up.
- Don't let other users persuade you to chat via another app like WhatsApp or Messenger.
- Turn off location settings, or use them sparingly.
- Use as little personal and identifiable information on your profile as possible.
by Dalwin Brown
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Two Bumble Users Are Getting Paid to Go on Dates Around the World
USA TODAY – Jan 13 – Brigette Muller and Juliana Broste will be Bumble's first "global connector bees." In addition to going on dates around the world, they'll be in search of friendship and business connections – all the while documenting the experiences for Bumble through videos, blog posts and social media. In addition to free travel, they will also receive a salary. The positions opened to Bumble users in summer 2019, and thousands of people applied before the June 14 deadline. Muller, 32, of New York was most recently a social media specialist at Etsy. Broste, 36, is a video journalist who's worked with the Travel Channel, Lonely Planet and more, and has 4K followers on Instagram.
UrSafe Automatically Calls 911 or Family
USA TODAY – UrSafe has launches on iOS and Android. It was created by two medical professionals and an Air Force veteran to protect users in almost any assault situation. The app instantly video records the scenario, sends the user's name and location to law enforcement agencies and stores a streamed video of the incident on a designated receiver's smartphone. "The personal safety space has largely been left untouched by innovators despite the fact that our internet-driven lifestyles require us to interact with and meet strangers more than ever," said Anthony Oyogoa, CEO and co-founder of UrSafe. During emergencies, users can access the app hands-free by calling out a predesignated safeword or by holding down an SOS button on the app. The hands-free trigger is programmed to the owner's voice, so no one else can access it.
Tinder or Bumble – The Clichés of ‘Big Dating’
USA TODAY – Nov 21 – Swiping to find a date came into the cultural lexicon when Tinder launched in 2012 and revolutionized the online dating scene. "It's a game, it's fire and it's fun," said online dating consultant Mark Brooks about Tinder. Brooks said the app can skew toward audiences looking for a "casual" encounter, whereas other apps, like Hinge, tend to build more "meaningful" relationships. "Since Match Group bought Hinge, they positioned Hinge as 'long-term' and Tinder as 'casual'," Brooks says. "I always regret going on a date from Tinder," said 28-year-old Justyna Kedra, a frequent user of Hinge, Bumble and, sometimes, Tinder. "I feel that people are very transactional. There's no depth." Hinge's approach tends to focus more on getting to know someone based on their politics and religion. According to Hinge's global head of communications Jean-Marie McGrath, 99% of the app's users are college-educated. The app gained recognition when 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg publicly said that he met his partner on Hinge.
by Coral Murphy
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Alaska Tops the States With the Most Romance Scams
USA TODAY – June 14 – HighSpeedInternet.com has issued a new report "When Love Bites," in which the Internet service provider comparison website identified the states where singles are most likely to fall prey to romance scammers. Alaska turns out to be the state where they are most likely to be catfished, based on data from the 2018 FBI Internet Crime Report, and U.S. Census population estimates. Nevada, Wisconsin, New Mexico and Colorado round out the next most likely states. The BBB has reported that online romance schemes cost victims as much as $1B over a three-year period.
Tinder’s Data Sharing Endangers Russian LGBTQ Community
USA TODAY – June 14 – This month, Russia's telecoms regulator, the Roskomnadzor, added Tinder to a list of websites and apps that it forces to store user data, messages and pictures on government-accessible Russian servers. The agency can then offer that data up to law enforcement and intelligence services on demand. If Tinder agrees to provide this information, its users in Russia will have no meaningful sense of privacy on the app. This data collection policy puts Tinder's commitments in conflict. On one hand, users agree to a privacy policy that states that Tinder can share their information to "comply with a legal process." On the other, the company has a commitment to its users and stakeholders. Its privacy web page directly says Tinder does not "compromise with your privacy." Sharing data with the Russian government would seriously endanger Tinder's LGBTQ user base. In 2013, the federal government in Moscow passed legislation broadly banning gay "propaganda" directed at minors. In practice, this law has shut down LGBTQ health education and support services, contributed to a rise in homophobic violence and silenced LGBTQ rights organizations.