Love at First Site: Can We Still Find Love Without Swiping?

Signing up for an app or dating site: an essential step to find love today? These digital platforms are highly successful among men and women seeking relationships. Yet, they are at the center of numerous debates.

The Popularization of New Ways of Dating

Not less than 1 in 4 French people declare having registered at least once on a dating site or app (IFOP Survey, 2018).

22% of the French

in a relationship for less than a year claim to have met their partner via a dating app.

Source: Statista

The rise in the usage of dating platforms is explained in part by the democratization of their clientele, with an increasingly balanced representation of different social categories. Originally aimed at an elite, these platforms now attract both working-class and professional users. A consequence of the widespread access to digital tools across all layers of society.

What drives the French to use dating apps?

Dating apps are designed to attract new users. They are easy to use, have intuitive interfaces, and are capable of quickly connecting theoretically "compatible" people, anywhere and anytime - as long as there is an internet connection.

As time passes, the platforms offer a greater diversity in terms of profiles, interests, personality traits, etc. This allows users to choose potential partners that meet their specific criteria. It offers an opportunity to meet new individuals outside of one’s usual social circle. A definite benefit for those with busy schedules or for those living in geographic areas that limit meeting opportunities.

Dating sites allow users to save time in their search for the ideal partner. Sorting through profiles, filtered based on selected criteria, reduces the time spent meeting people. A growing number of users are gradually moving away from more "traditional" approaches to turn towards these online dating services.

Screenshot of the Bumble service - What would you like to find here? We encourage you to be honest: it's the key to making meaningful connections on Bumble. A serious relationship, Nothing too serious, Not sure, Prefer not to say — Some of the information requested by the Bumble dating app to create compatibilities between users based on their interests.

Screenshot of the Bumble service - Interests: Choose up to 5 things you love. It will help you match with people who share the same passions. Self-care: Therapy, Mindfulness, Deep conversations, ...

To find compatible profiles, many dating sites use questionnaires and algorithms. The goal: to match individuals based on their affinities, common interests, and values. Digital tools thus provide an additional chance to bring together compatible partners on various aspects.

Gradually, the dating app industry has expanded its market and, consequently, its target audience. Instead of just targeting adults, these platforms now attempt to reach a broader audience.

This raises ethical questions, especially when profiles include both minor and adult users. The controversy surrounding the dating app Crush, aimed at 10-21 year olds, has recently drawn legislators' attention to this issue.

Undeniable Challenges for Dating Apps

44% of French users

report being unsatisfied with their experience on this type of platform.

Source: Cluster 17 Institute Survey

It's hard to deny: user experience remains a major challenge for the online dating industry, as more and more people seek love and connection through screens.

The first challenge to address: data protection. Especially since dating apps collect and store a range of sensitive information about their users. This makes them potentially vulnerable to data breaches and cyberattacks. Data leaks are not rare and prove dangerous for the security of users, given the sensitivity of the personal information entered on the platforms. A notable example: the hacking of the dating site Ashley Madison in 2015, with no fewer than 33 million accounts exposed.

Inputting information on Fruitz - My first name - This information is shown to other users. — Examples of data that must be provided to register on the Fruitz dating site

Inputting information on Fruitz - My age - Your age will be visible to everyone.

Furthermore, online scams and malicious behavior remain common. The presence of fake profiles has almost become commonplace: some individuals virtually assume the identity of another (younger or older, opposite gender, etc.) for malicious purposes and manipulation.

All these threats compromise the experience of users and challenge the trust placed in dating sites. A threat that remains particularly difficult to prevent and regulate for developers, forcing users to remain vigilant.

Tinder Screen - Think of your safety first - Protect your privacy - Do not share precise details like the time and place at the same time. IRL meetings = caution - Always meet in public places rather than private ones. — The Tinder app alerts its users with prevention messages.

Tinder Screen - Take your time, if that's what you want, You can always ask your Match to obtain the Tinder Certif or make a video call before giving too much information about yourself or meeting up.

Tinder Screen - Safe Encounters - Be respectful - Do not intimidate, harass, or threaten others. We do not tolerate any form of discrimination. Tinder is not a place for hate.

A Mixed Experience for Users

While some are excited about the possibilities offered by dating apps, others discover a reality that is sometimes disappointing. Many common complaints include the lack of authenticity in relationships established through screens, which ultimately struggle to materialize beyond the virtual realm.

Some also criticize the lack of fairness in the algorithms used by dating apps, giving more chances to women than to men to "match". In a survey published in 2019, Le Monde revealed for example that a woman's success rate on a match is on average 50% on Tinder... compared to 2% for a man.

Another problem raised by (former) users: the lack of regulation performed by the platforms, favoring the emergence of fake profiles and the dissemination of compromising content. The proliferation of profiles, causing a saturation of the platforms, further intensifies this phenomenon. Ultimately, some users testify to a "catalog" effect that dehumanizes encounters.

Addiction, questioning the effectiveness of dating platforms, discrimination, and sexism are also pointed out:

1 in 6 users (16%) admits to having felt addicted to dating apps at some point.
2 out of 3 women who have used dating apps say they have been harassed on these platforms.

In the end, a significant number of people decide to give up on dating apps and reconnect with the "real world". Because even in digital form, the path is arduous to create a real relationship with someone. Dedicate time to searching for a partner, present a good image of oneself, initiate and maintain a conversation to finally, perhaps, hope to secure a date... it is no coincidence that the Anglo-Saxon press has coined a term to describe this feeling of exhaustion : the "dating burn-out".