Concerns with Dating Apps

In online dating, Tinder and Bumble leave much to be desired for users. Between the never ending feed of dating profiles, fake accounts, and the facade of interest that is small talk, users may find a lot of distraction.

The problems boil down to a few simple points:

1. Addictive never ending feed
   Most dating apps use the typical “fire hose” with prospective matches. When you swipe, you never reach a stopping point. There will always be one more possible swipe. Users may find themselves swiping for long periods of time, constantly looking for that point of positive feedback. More importantly, with every right swipe, “super like”, or message, users are then waiting for a match or response. This may cause impulsive notification checking, attaching users to phones more than they already are.
2. High rejection rate
   Tinder and Bumble are great due to the high number of users. This, however, means users need to process a large number of profiles and swipe desperately to find the right match. Not to mention, these applications are flooded with spam accounts, bots, and those waiting to prey on eager daters. From that point, a fair number of matches need to occur in order for a legitimate date to happen.
3. Unnatural communication style
   Unlike the real world, in apps people don’t have to respond immediately, because we don’t know whether they are away from their phones. So people can craft messages, get feedback from friends, and time responses, and the whole process is much less revealing, less authentic. In person interaction is more revealing, instantaneous, and better for developing emotional connection. However, due to cultural changes favoring online dating, people may need to master digital communication and dating apps to not miss out on opportunities

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