Category: Uncategorized
Stoke to Launch Venue-Based Dating and Friendship App in Miami
AXIOS – Stoke is a new app launching in Miami to help people meet for dating or friendship at local bars, cafés and gyms. Users check in at a participating venue, choose what they are looking for and see who else is there. If two people are interested in meeting, a chat opens. It disappears when they leave the venue. Founder Kevin Battista will test Stoke across five Wynwood venues on November 7. A wider launch is planned for January, with 60 venue partners. The app will be free for users, with partner venues paying to appear on the platform.
US Congressional Report Examines Match Group’s Response to Romance Scams
NBC NEWS – A year-long investigation by the US Congress Joint Economic Committee examined how Match Group handles romance scams across Tinder, Hinge, and its other dating platforms. It found that some of Tinder’s fraud-detection models had not been updated for several years. In Q3 2025, ~1.5M suspected scammers or other bad actors on Tinder and Hinge matched with users, while ~500K exchanged contact details. Match Group has since introduced new detection models, added 169 automated rules, and improved 108 existing ones. Tinder and Hinge now require biometric face checks for new users, helping prevent banned users from returning under new accounts. Match Group said these measures have reduced exposure to bad actors by ~60%. The committee welcomed the progress but said continued investment would be needed as scam tactics evolve.
Hanna Kozlowska’s New Book U Up? Available for Pre-Order
OPW – Longtime dating industry journalist Hanna Kozlowska’s new book, U Up?: An Intimate History of Online Dating, is available for pre-order ahead of its January 26, 2027 release. The book explores the history of online dating, from Victorian personal ads to modern dating apps, drawing on interviews with daters around the world. Kozlowska discussed the book with Mark Brooks during an LTR interview in 2025.
Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri Rules out Dating Feature
DEXERTO – Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri ruled out plans for a dating feature while answering a follower’s question on his Instagram Story. He said a formal dating service would require substantial extra work and argued that people already use Instagram to find romantic connections through story replies, shared Reels, and direct messages.
French Social Events Company Dixner Acquires Singles Events Business CrushParty
LINKEDIN – French social events company Dixner has acquired CrushParty. The company organises in-person events where singles can meet. Dixner launched three years ago with dinners that bring ten strangers together and has since attracted 100,000 registered users. The acquisition will lead to Dixner Crush, a new series of singles-only events. Dixner will continue running its existing dinners, parties and workshops. CrushParty founders Charlotte Werba, Lucie Le Cadre and Romain Nibourel will join the company as investors.
Age Verification Company Yoti Grows Revenue Fivefold to £32 Million
LINKEDIN – Digital identity and age-verification company Yoti has ranked 52nd in the Financial Times and Statista list of the UK’s fastest-growing companies for 2027. Yoti increased annual revenue from £6.25M in the year ending March 2023 to £32M in the year ending March 2026. The company has been profitable since March 2025. Revenue in Sep 2026 was 60% higher than in Sep 2025. Yoti continues to invest in its age-assurance, identity-verification, liveness, and fraud-detection services.
Get Online Personals Watch by Email
OPW – We’re dedicated to providing you with quality daily executive summaries and intelligence. Subscribe here, and send to a friend. We find news and info that will help make you smarter and help you make better informed decisions. Online Personals Watch has been run by the Courtland Brooks team since 2004.
Google Faces £1 Billion UK Claim Over Play Store Fees
INDEPENDENT – Google is facing a UK class action seeking £1B for ~20M consumers and businesses. The claim alleges that Google’s Play Store commission of up to 30% pushed up the price of apps, subscriptions and in-app purchases, including dating services. It covers purchases made between October 2015 and July 2026. Google denies the allegations and says Android offers users greater choice and some of the lowest fees in the market.
Hire Right, Build a High-Growth Dating App
OPW – I've been working in dating since the late 90's and running Online Personals Watch since 2004, and IDEA since 2006. At this stage I have a database of over a 1000 people who have worked in the dating industry and left. Invariably they miss us. I often find myself delving into this database for clients to offer up experienced personnel for their teams, or to recruit new people onto the Courland Brooks team. We're here to help you grow your company, and hire great people.
For the price of a marketing manager you can get access to a seasoned team of online dating professionals. See Testimonials here. See pricing and service overview. Email mark@courtlandbrooks.com or simply book an opening call here.