BLOOMBERG LAW – Spark Networks Services GmbH, which operates platforms like Christian Mingle, JDate, and Zoosk, has filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy in the United States to have its German insolvency proceedings recognized. The filing follows a failed restructuring attempt in 2024 and the withdrawal of funding by its main lender, MGG Investment Group. The company intends to sell its assets while continuing to operate during the process.
PR NEWSWIRE – Q3 '22 revenue was $48.2M, compared to $53.3M in Q3 '21. Net loss was $10.7M, including an $11.8M non-cash impairment charge to the Zoosk trade name, compared to a net loss of $2.7M in Q3 '21. Zoosk initial subscriber registration grew 5.1% YOY. Zoosk's average paying subscribers grew 3.4% YOY. The app has deployed new pricing, leading to increased conversion rates and a higher average price for Zoosk subscriptions YOY.
PR NEWSWIRE – Q2 Revenue was $48M, compared to $55.3M in Q2 2021. On a constant currency basis, revenue would have been $50.3M. Net loss was $8.8M, compared to $49M in Q2 2021. Total paid subscribers grew from 831K to 838K. Zoosk end of period subscribers grew 4% YOY. Zoosk new subscribers grew 17% YOY. The company expects to deliver low double-digit Adjusted EBITDA margins for the full year.
BLOOMBERG LAW – Zoosk customers lost their bid for class certification in their data breach suit when a federal judge in San Francisco found that the lead plaintiff agreed to terms of use that waived her right to represent a class. Juan Flores-Mendez and Tracy Greenamyer sued Zooks following a massive breach in January 2020 in which a group called the "ShinyHunters" stole data from 30M Zoosk users. Zoosk waited 22 days to notify its users of the breach, according to the complaint.
PR NEWSWIRE – Spark Networks announced that female engagement is growing on Zoosk, Spark's largest dating app. Female engagement continues to be a leading indicator of a healthier and more productive dating platform. An updated matching algorithm and a revamped first-time user experience have driven double-digit growth in female paid subscribers, female subscriber conversions, and positive response rates to matches. Additionally, there has been a 10% increase in daily active users who are female and a sizable uptick in female first-day retention.
EYEWITNESS NEWS – One study found 81% of online daters misrepresented some aspect about themselves, be it height, weight, or age. The Federal Trade Commission says phishing and dating scams on apps cost victims $304M in 2020, double the amount of the previous year. Top10.com researched the background check and user verification processes for the most popular dating apps and websites.
Match Group
The company announced in March 2021 a partnership with nonprofit background check technology Garbo. The app provides historical information about domestic violence and abuse.
Badoo
The app makes sure the person is legitimate by having users take an image in a unique pose to verify. Badoo also allows users to further verify using a phone number or social network account and marks verification on their profile.
Bumble
Bumble uses a combination of AI and human-led monitoring systems to review accounts and messages for violations of their terms of service. These include imagery or language that discriminates against someone's race, ethnicity, disability, gender expression, and a range of other criteria.
AdultFriendFinder
AdultFriendFinder doesn't do background checks. While users are to accept sole responsibility for their own interactions with other users, users have recourse to report account abuse, and moderators are also looking out for abnormal behavior on the site.
Ashley Madison
User verification and background checks are counterintuitive to the goal of Ashley Madison.
Happn
Similar to Badoo, Happn users have the opportunity to certify their profiles by taking a video posing with unique head gestures, as instructed by the app. While Happn claims noncertified profiles are not fake, they do not provide any additional background on whether a vetting process exists for noncertified profiles.
Zoosk
Zoosk provides online dating safety tips for people new to dating online. Although, in those tips, it's suggested that users do their own research on potential suitors because Zoosk asserts it does not "routinely screen our members, inquire into the background of our members, attempt to verify information provided by our members, or conduct criminal screenings of our members."
Eharmony
While the dating service does not conduct an official background check, it does provide users with an 80-question survey to narrow in on the specificity of the website's services.
Grindr
Grindr notes in its terms of service that it does not conduct criminal or other background screenings of its users and doesn't verify the information users provide.
by Vivian Muniz
See full article at PA Homepage
PR NEWSWIRE – Inspired by the post-pandemic shift toward video dating, Zoosk is launching a virtual dating feature, called Zoosk Great Dates. Zoosk Great Dates lets singles and their dates access fun virtual dates in exciting global destinations, with the first batch of interactive dates set in Greece, Italy and Japan.
PR NEWSWIRE – Q3 revenue was $53.3M, compared to $60.8M in the Q3 of 2020. Net Loss was $2.7M, compared to $0.1M last year's Q3. Four of Spark's top five brands, representing ~50% of total revenue, collectively grew revenue and subscribers YOY during the quarter, their fifth consecutive quarter of growth. Zoosk Live! users doubled since its Q2 launch. Spark expects to launch Zoosk Great Dates in Q4 to drive increased user engagement and subscribers. Spark reiterates full year 2021 revenue guidance of $219M to $223M. The company's portfolio include Zoosk, EliteSingles, SilverSingles, Christian Mingle, Jdate, and JSwipe, among others.
MEDIA POST – Aug 26 – Zoosk, a global dating app for a slightly older demographic, generates 4 to 5M email opens per day messages informing users that they got a message, sharing the daily match and performing other tasks. It had been monetizing these emails with advertising, working with LiveIntent and using its LiveTags technology. Ads now contribute ~2% of all revenue, with email contributing a smaller amount. Overall, Zoosk has had ~20M people registered over the years, several hundred thousand of whom may log in on a given day.
PR NEWSWIRE – Aug 17 – Spark recorded Q2 revenue of $55.3M, down $1.2M from Q2 '20, ARPU increased to $20.96. The decrease in Revenue was attributable to the 3% decrease in the number of average paying subscribers. Net Loss was $50.4M. "During the Q2 2021, we entered the social discovery space with the launch of our livestreaming service, Zoosk Live!", said Eric Eichmann, CEO of Spark Networks. Spark currently expects full year 2021 revenue to be in the range of $219M to $223M and its full year 2021 Adjusted EBITDA range to be between $27M to $30M.