Tokyo Expands Government-Backed Matchmaking to Tackle Falling Birthrate

Posted on October 27, 2026
Japanese couple

NEWS ON JAPAN – Tokyo is expanding its government-funded matchmaking efforts, allocating ¥700M ($4.5M) for fiscal 2026, more than double the previous year’s budget. Since 2023, the city has held 31 matchmaking events for ~3,700 people, including running, amusement park, and zoo events. Its AI-powered TOKYO Enmusubi service, launched in September 2024, has attracted ~17K registrations and resulted in 337 marriages by the end of September 2026. Participants must provide proof that they are unmarried and confirm that they are seeking marriage. The initiative is part of Tokyo’s response to its 0.96 fertility rate.

See full article at News on Japan

Tinder Launches New Social Dating Features With Gen Z Campaign

Posted on October 27, 2026
Tinder campaign social features

LITTLE BLACK BOOK – Tinder has launched a new campaign promoting five social dating features: Group Hangouts, IRL Events, Double Date, Astrology Mode and Music Mode. Created with VIRTUE Worldwide, the campaign features Owen Thiele, Tove Lo and Ken Eurich and will run across video, social media, live events and outdoor advertising. The push follows Tinder research showing 37% of young singles planned to try group or double dating in 2026, reflecting its focus on lower-pressure dating and moving connections into real life.

See full article at Little Black Book

AI-Powered Dating Apps for Married People Surge in Japan

Posted on October 26, 2026
Logo of Cuddle

36KR – Japan is seeing rapid growth in dating platforms aimed at married people seeking relationships outside marriage. Cuddle has grown from 50K registered users in early 2023 to ~1.3M in 2026. The platform uses AI to recommend matches based on factors including availability, whether users have children, and activity patterns. Alongside Cuddle, Married Club and Healmate have built large user bases, highlighting the growing market for married-only dating services in Japan.

See full article at 36KR

Rising Costs Push Gen Z Towards Cheaper Dates

Posted on October 26, 2026
Rising Costs Push Gen Z Towards Cheaper Dates

BARCLAYS – New Barclays research shows rising costs are changing how younger people date, with 45% of Gen Z saying costs have affected their ability to go on dates and 27% cancelling, rearranging or declining dates because of money. More than half of Gen Z are choosing cheaper options such as coffee or running dates, while dating app spending has risen 51% year-on-year. Money is becoming a bigger compatibility factor too, with 49% of women saying they would rule out someone with a different attitude to finances. Barclays has launched its Statement Dating series to encourage more open conversations about money and relationships.

See full article at Barclays

Meta’s Muse AI Is Becoming a Romantic Companion for Some Users

Posted on October 26, 2026
Meta Muse

FOX NEWS – Meta’s new Muse AI agent is being used by some people as a romantic companion, despite being designed primarily as a personal assistant. Muse remembers conversations, can initiate messages, and allows users aged 18+ to engage in romantic and sexually explicit conversations. Users can customize its name, appearance, and personality, helping create a more personal experience. The trend is raising concerns about emotional dependence and privacy, particularly as Muse conversations may be used to train Meta’s AI models unless users opt out.

See full article at Fox News

Messaging App Viber Sees Its Dating Service Surge in the Philippines

Posted on October 26, 2026
Screenshot of the Viber Dating app

ESQUIRE – Viber says the Philippines has become the fastest-growing market for Viber Dating, accounting for 56% of all new dating profiles year-to-date. The platform has seen monthly active users rise 96% year-on-year and revenue increase 95% year-to-date. Manila is already Viber’s largest overall market and its biggest market for paying premium subscribers. Viber says its dating service includes systems to detect and remove fake or suspicious accounts.

See full article at Esquire

Australia Prepares Legal Action Against Social Platforms Over Age Checks

Posted on October 26, 2026
Australia Prepares Legal Action Against Social Platforms Over Age Checks

BIOMETRIC UPDATE – Australia is preparing legal action against major social media platforms over alleged failures to enforce its minimum age law. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube are among the potential targets as the eSafety Commissioner gathers evidence of non-compliance. The law requires covered platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent under-16s from holding accounts, although it does not mandate a specific age-verification method. Communications Minister Anika Wells says the government will hold platforms accountable if they fail to comply.

See full article at Biometric Update

Ditto Launches Bay Area Bestie for AI Friendship Matching

Posted on October 26, 2026
Ditto Bay Area Bestie

OPW – AI dating startup Ditto has launched Bay Area Bestie, a free friendship matching service in San Francisco. Ditto creative director Elsa Cai developed the feature to meet more women working in the city’s tech industry. Users verify their identity and receive a potential friend match by text every Wednesday, based on location and shared interests. The service is open to adults aged 18 and over. Ditto CEO Allen Wang said the launch attracted 826,000 views and thousands of sign-ups within 24 hours. The company previously reported more than 200,000 sign-ups for its AI dating service.

Sniffies Faces UK Scrutiny Over Age Verification and Child Safety

Posted on October 26, 2026
Sniffies

THE TELEGRAPH – Sniffies is facing scrutiny in the UK over concerns that children could access the dating platform and be exposed to grooming. Anonymous users can enter any date of birth that makes them 18 or older, without their age being verified, and can then message other users and view registered profiles. Ofcom is now in discussions with Sniffies over its compliance with the Online Safety Act. Sniffies denies any wrongdoing and says its UK protections comply with the law. Match Group invested $100 million for a minority stake in the company earlier this year.

See full article at The Telegraph

AI Becomes a New Dating Dealbreaker in San Francisco

Posted on October 26, 2026
AI friendly

SF STANDARD – AI is becoming a new compatibility test for singles in San Francisco, with attitudes towards the technology increasingly influencing who people are willing to date. Singles are checking employers, looking for AI-related clues on dating profiles and asking dates directly about their views. Some see working at companies such as OpenAI or an AI startup as a red flag, while others would avoid partners who strongly oppose AI. The divide is even playing out at singles events, where AI workers have been booed simply for revealing what they do.

See full article at SF Standard