Dating app

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An online dating application, commonly known as a dating app, is an online dating service presented through a mobile phone application. These apps often take advantage of a smartphone's GPS location capabilities, always on-hand presence, and access to mobile wallets. These apps aim to speed up the online dating process of sifting through potential dating partners, chatting, flirting, and potentially meeting or becoming romantically involved.

Contents

Online dating apps are now mainstream in the United States. As of 2017, online dating (which included both apps and other online dating services) was the principal method by which new couples in the U.S. met. [1] The percentage of couples meeting online is predicted to increase to 70% by 2040. [2]

Origins

The first computerized dating service was launched in 1964, the St. James Computer Dating Service, which became known as Com-Pat. The first U.S. dating service that used computerized match making was Operation Match. It required men and women to complete a questionnaire and was launched in 1965. Operation Match inspired the methodology of Dateline, which became popular in the 1970s and 1980s. Match.com was launched in 1995 and turned computerized match making into a profitable business. [3] Grindr targeted gay and bisexual men at launch. [4] Tinder, launched in 2012, led to a growth of online dating applications by both new providers and existing online dating services that expanded into the mobile app market. [5] [6]

Usage by demographic group

Online dating applications typically target a younger demographic group, though some apps, like Senior Match and Silver Singles are geared toward the 50 and up demographic. Today almost 50% of people know of someone who use the services or has met their loved one through the service. [7] After the iPhone launch in 2007, online dating data has mushroomed as application usage increased. In 2005, only 10% of 18-24 year olds reported to have used online dating services; this number quickly grew to over 27%, [8] making this target demographic the largest number of users for most applications. When Pew Research Center conducted a study in 2016, they found that 59% of U.S. adults agreed that online dating is a good way to meet people compared to 44% in 2005. This explosion in usage can be explained by the increased use of smartphones. By the end of 2022, it is expected there will be 413 million active users of online dating services worldwide. [9]

The increased use of smartphones by those 65 and older has also driven that population to the use dating apps. The Pew Research Center found that usage increase by 8 points since last surveyed in 2012. [10] A study in 2021 found that more than one-third of seniors have dated in the past 5 years, and roughly one-third of those dating seniors have turned to dating apps. [11]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Morning Consult found that more Americans were using online dating apps than ever before. In one survey in April 2020, the company discovered that 53% of U.S. adults who use online dating apps have been using them more during the pandemic. [12] As of February 2021, that share increased to 71 percent. [13]

Research using Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory has indicated that norms about online dating applications tend to differ across cultures. A study published in the Journal of Creative Communications looked into the relationships between dating-app advertisements from over 51 countries and the cultural dimensions of these countries. The results revealed that dating-app advertisements appealed to multiple cultural needs, including the needs for relationships, friendship, entertainment, sex, status, design and identity. The use of these appeals was found to be 'congruent with ... the individualism/collectivism and uncertainty avoidance cultural dimensions.' [14]

Online dating

After Tinder's success, many others tried creating their own dating applications and dating websites such as Match.Com created applications for convenience. ARC from Applause, [15] a research group on app economy, conducted a research study in 2016 on how 1.5 million U.S. consumers rated 97 of the most popular dating apps. The research results indicated that only 11 apps scored 50 or greater (out of 100) with more than 10,000 reviews from the app store. These include: Jaumo, OkCupid, happn, Scruff by Perry Street, Moco by JNJ Mobile, Growl by Initech, Skout, Qeep by Blue Lion mobile, MeetMe, Badoo, and Hornet. An app with a 50+ score was considered successful. Other popular applications like Bumble, Grindr, eHarmony, chamet and Match scored 40 or less. [15] To ensure privacy for celebrities, Raya emerged as a membership-based dating app, allowing entrance only through referrals. [16] In 2019, Taimi, which started out as an alternative to Grindr launched a first LGBTQI+ inclusive dating app. [17] A number of dating apps have been created targeting adherents of particular religions seeking partners of the same religion, such as Muzmatch and Salams for Muslims, Upward and Christian Connection for Christians, and JSwipe and JDate for Jews. [18] [19] [20]

VR Dating

VR Dating is an application of Social VR where people can exist, collaborate, and perform various activities together. [21] Virtual reality apps use virtual and augmented realities to make the dating experience more lifelike and more effective, as well as allow people to expand what is already possible in the world of online dating. [22]

There are several online platforms of VR Dating. The VR dating app Nevermet is the VR equivalent of Tinder, where people can search and find on dates. However, instead of actual real-life pictures, users will update pictures of virtual selves and will be interacting with avatars rather than real faces. [23] Flirtual is a self-contained social VR app that serves to match users who then decide where and how to meet in VR. Flirtual hosts speed dating and social events in VR. [24]

Effects on dating

Giulia Ranzini (VU Amsterdam) on the effects on dating by using dating apps.

The usage of online dating applications can have both advantages and disadvantages: [25]

Advantages

Many of the applications provide personality tests for matching or use algorithms to match users. These factors enhance the possibility of users getting matched with a compatible candidate. Users are in control; they are provided with many options so there are enough matches that fit their particular type. Users can simply choose to not match the candidates that they know they are not interested in. Narrowing down options is easy. Once users think they are interested, they are able to chat and get to know the potential candidate. This type of communication saves the time, money, and risk users would not avoid if they were dating the traditional way. [26] Online dating offers convenience; people want dating to work around their schedules. Online dating can also increase self-confidence; even if users get rejected, they know there are hundreds of other candidates that will want to match with them so they can simply move on to the next option. [27] In fact, 60% of U.S. adults agree that online dating is a good way to meet people and 66% say they have gone on a real date with someone they met through an application. Today, 5% of married Americans or Americans in serious relationships said they met their significant other online. [8] The 39% of online dating users (representing 12% of all U.S. adults) say they have been in a committed relationship or married someone they met on a dating site or app. [28]

Disadvantages

Sometimes having too many options can be overwhelming. With so many options available, users can get lost in their choices and end up spending too much time looking for the "perfect" candidate instead of using that time to start a real relationship. [26] In addition, the algorithms and matching systems put in place may not always be as accurate as users think. There is no perfect system that can match two people’s personalities perfectly every time. [29]

Communication online also lacks the physical chemistry aspect that is essential for choosing a potential partner. Much is lost in translation through texting. Online dating has made dating very superficial; the picture on a user's profile may cause someone to match or not match before even getting to know their personalities. [30]

An issue amplified by dating apps is a phenomenon known as 'ghosting', whereby one party in a relationship cuts off all communication with the other party without warning or explanation. Ghosting poses a serious problem for dating apps as it can lead to users deleting the apps. For this reason companies like Bumble and Badoo are cracking down on the practice with new features that make it easier for users to end chat conversations more politely. [31]

Online dating was once stigmatized, [32] but has become accepted over time to the point where it is now normalized in the United States. [33]

Perverse incentives and enshittification

The market for dating apps has been cited as an example of enshittification. The conflict between the app's ostensible goal of matchmaking, and its operators' desire to convert users to the paid version of the app and retaining them as paying users indefinitely by keeping them single, providing perverse incentives that cause their effectiveness to decline over time as efforts at monetization begin to dominate. [34] [35] [36] [33] An analysis by OK Cupid, since taken down, attempted to quantify the statistical basis for these incentives. [37] [38] Mathematical modelling has also suggested that it is in the financial interests of app operators to offer their user base a sub-optimal experience. [39]

Data privacy

Dating apps and online dating sites are often involved in cases concerning the misuse of data. [40] In 2018 Grindr, the first platform for gay dating is accused to have shared data about the HIV status of its users with numerous companies. [41] Grindr recognized the allegations [42] but claimed that it was in order to optimize its platform which doesn’t convince the LGBT community. Grindr defended itself by sharing the data loss prevention of the company and reassuring the users with the public intervention of its CTO Scott Chen. In Europe, dating platforms care more and more about data legislation because of the GDPR sanctions that threatens companies with economic sanctions.

Other personal data are sold by dating apps. The one that is the most bought by private companies remains the geographical information of users. When the user allows localization, apps record them and store them using Geographic Coordinate System. When a data breach happens, geographical information directly exposes users.

As others applications, dating apps can have breaches: hackers have revealed security issues on Tinder, [43] Coffee Meets Bagel [44] or Adult FriendFinder for instance. On the last one, the data of more than 412 million users was exposed, one of the largest leak in terms of the number of accounts exposed. [45] In 2016, the sharing of personal information from almost 40 million users of Ashley Madison by a group of Hackers, the "Impact Team", revealed their real name, phone number, email address, geographical position and sexual preferences. [46] Ashley Madison assured their more than 35 million users that the service was totally "anonymous" and "100% discrete" but they didn't completely delete accounts when users chose to (and paid for that) or recognize that data had actually leaked in a first time. Some suicides have been reported after the leak. [47] Taimi introduced bank-level security to become the "safest dating app" for gay people to date. [48]

Data theft and cybersecurity

After analyzing a significant number of diverse mobile dating applications, researchers have concluded that most of the major dating applications are vulnerable to simple sniffing attacks, which could reveal very sensitive personal information such as sexual orientation, preferences, e-mails, degree of interaction between users, etc. [49] [ non-primary source needed ]

Online dating platforms are also used as honeypots wherein attackers create fake profiles to steal users' private information. [50]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Online dating</span> Internet service providing potential relationship contacts

Online dating, also known as internet dating, virtual dating, or mobile app dating, is a method used by people with a goal of searching for and interacting with potential romantic or sexual partners, via the internet. An online dating service is a company that promotes and provides specific mechanisms for the practice of online dating, generally in the form of dedicated websites or software applications accessible on personal computers or mobile devices connected to the internet. A wide variety of unmoderated matchmaking services, most of which are profile-based with various communication functionalities, is offered by such companies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OkCupid</span> American online dating service

OkCupid is a U.S.-based, internationally operating online dating, friendship, and formerly also a social networking website and application. It features multiple-choice questions to match members. Registration is free. OkCupid is owned by Match Group, which also owns Tinder, Hinge, Plenty of Fish, and many other popular dating apps and sites.

Match is an online dating service with headquarters are in Dallas, Texas. The company has offices in Dallas, West Hollywood, San Francisco, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, and Beijing. Match is owned by Match Group, which owns several online dating services.

Mobile dating services, also known as cell dating, cellular dating, or cell phone dating, allow individuals to chat, flirt, meet, and possibly become romantically involved by means of text messaging, mobile chatting, and the mobile web.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mobile social network</span> Social networking on mobile devices

Mobile social networking is social networking where individuals with similar interests converse and connect with one another through their mobile phone and/or tablet. Much like web-based social networking, mobile social networking occurs in virtual communities.

Dating is a stage of romantic relationships in which two individuals regularly engage in activity together, most often with the intention of evaluating each other's suitability as a partner in a future intimate relationship. It falls into the category of courtship, consisting of social events carried out by the couple either alone or with others.

This is a partial, non-exhaustive list of notable online dating websites and mobile apps.

Grindr is a location-based social networking and online dating application targeted towards gay and bisexual men, and transgender people.

Blendr was an online dating application based on geosocial networking for Android, iOS and Facebook. It is designed to connect like-minded people near to each other. It was created by Joel Simkhai and patterned after his previous app Grindr which is instead aimed at gay men. Blendr claims to be "powered by" Badoo but largely appears to be the same service. As of 2022, it had 200 million users worldwide and requires users to be over the age of 18.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tinder (app)</span> American online dating app

Tinder is an online dating and geosocial networking application launched in 2012. On Tinder, users "swipe right" to like or "swipe left" to dislike other users' profiles, which include their photos, a short bio, and some of their interests. Tinder uses a "double opt-in" system, also called "matching", where two users must like each other before they can exchange messages.

Bumble is an online dating and networking application launched in 2014. Profiles of potential matches are displayed to users, who can "swipe left" to reject a candidate or "swipe right" to indicate interest. Until 2024 only female users could make the first contact with matched male users, while in homosexual matches either person can send a message first. The app is a product of Bumble Inc.

Match Group, Inc. is an American internet and technology company headquartered in Dallas, Texas. It owns and operates the largest global portfolio of popular online dating services including Tinder, Match.com, Meetic, OkCupid, Hinge, Plenty of Fish, OurTime, and other dating global brands. The company was owned by IAC until July 2020 when Match Group was spun off as a separate, public company. As of 2019, the company had 9.3 million subscribers, of which 4.6 million were in North America. Japan is the company's second largest market, after the United States.


Mooky was a location-based social and dating application, designed to help its users to find the perfect match by providing a large scale of filters. Mooky was free of charge. The app made use of mobile devices' geolocation, a feature of smart phones and other devices which allows users to locate other users who are nearby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feeld</span> Location-based online dating app

Feeld is a location-based online dating application for iOS and Android that facilitates communication between people interested in ethical non-monogamy, polyamory, casual sex, kink, swinging, and other alternative relationship models and sexual preferences. According to a review from The New York Times, over a third of users are on the app with a partner, and 45 percent identify as something other than heterosexual.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The League (app)</span> Social and dating mobile application

The League is a social and dating mobile application launched in 2015 and available in several cities all over the world on iOS and Android.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinge (app)</span> American online dating app

Hinge is an online dating application. Using an algorithm, the app displays potential matches, allowing the user to dismiss or attempt to match by responding to a specific piece of content on their profile. The service emphasizes uploading user-generated content in a variety of formats, such as photos, videos, and "prompts" as a way to express personality and appearance. The app is fully owned by Match Group as of February 2019.

GuySpy is a location based online social network, gay dating app. It is available on Android, iOS and via web browser. The app uses location based services like GPS to connect gay, bi and curious men. Through their platform users are able to create profiles with detailed descriptions and with multiple photos. They are able to chat with guys around them and send additional photos, have video messaging and provide their exact location. There is a voice option within the app as well. The app is similar to Grindr, GuySpy also has a map feature that allows the users to search for other guys in other towns and cities. The app was officially launched in 2011 for GayWhistler's WinterPride festival. In 2013 GuySpy launched The PEARL Pride Party app, which was helping users to keep up to date, build and maintain a personal schedule, share information via social networks related to global LGBT pride events and circuit parties.

Recon is a location-based online dating application and service specifically for gay men interested in fetish and kink. It launched as a website in 1999, and as an iOS app in 2010. It has 189,000 active users as of 2018.

Hornet is a location-based social networking and online dating application for gay, bisexual, and non-heterosexual men, as well as other men who have sex with men (MSM). In 2018, it was seen as "Grindr's chief competitor in the gay app market". As well as featuring other men, the app contains city guide books and LGBT-specific news.

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