Tag: Tinder

Tinder is Testing AI Features That Look Through Your Camera Roll

Tinder is testing a new AI-powered feature that looks at the photos on your camera roll in an effort to find you better matches, according to an announcement from parent company Match Group. And while that might sounds like a rather invasive way to find a match, the dating app notes that it’s opt-in and will hopefully combat what it calls “swipe fatigue.”

The feature is called Chemistry and was announced by Match Group CEO Spencer Rascoff during an earnings call on Tuesday. The AI asks users interactive questions and seeks to find out what matters to a given user the most.

“Powered by AI, this interactive matching feature—a major part of Tinder’s upcoming 2026 product experience—gets to know users through fun, conversational prompts and, with permission, learns from their camera roll to better understand their interests and personality,” the company said in a prepared statement published online.

Gizmodo hasn’t tested the feature yet, but the company is clearly stressing that it will only look through your camera roll if users give it permission to do just that. The Tinder app has gotten a refresh for Apple’s Liquid Glass on iOS and the company thinks that its new AI experiments will help improve the user experience.

“Using deep learning, Chemistry aims to reduce dating app fatigue by surfacing a few highly relevant profiles each day—driving more compatible matches and more engaging conversations,” a Tinder spokesperson told Gizmodo via email.

The AI feature is currently being tested in Australia and New Zealand. The company has plans to roll out the feature to additional countries “in the coming months,” but it’s not clear yet when that might include the U.S.

Aside from Chemistry, Tinder is also experimenting with other features, like a new Modes navigation, which was launched in September. Users can choose things like College Mode, which includes meeting new people with a friend in their college community or Double Date Mode, which lets you match with other pairs. Tinder reports that Double Date has been popular, particularly in Europe and with Gen Z more broadly.

The app is also reportedly being improved on the tech side of things, with Android startup times 38% faster and crash rates reduced by 32%, according to Match. The company also claims that app stability on iOS has improved considerably.

Matt Novak

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November 5, 2025
Tinder Launches Mandatory Facial Verification to Weed Out Bots and Scammers

On Wednesday, Tinder announced that it is rolling out a mandatory facial verification tool for new users in the US to help combat the spread of fake profiles and weed out “bad actors.”

Tinder claims its mandatory facial integration feature, called Face Check, is a first for a major dating app. During the sign-up process, new members complete a “liveness check” by taking a short video selfie within the app. The procedure collects and stores an encrypted map of information about the shape of the user’s face. “We don’t store a picture of your face, it’s not photo recognition, it’s data points about the shape of your face that are turned into a mathematical hash,” says Yoel Roth, head of Trust and Safety for Match Group, which owns Tinder. Tinder then uses that “hash” to check whether a new sign-up matches an account that already exists on Tinder.

Face Check is currently available to users in California, which will be followed by Texas and other states.

In a news release, Roth said the measure “sets a new benchmark for trust and safety across the dating industry” and “it helps tackle one of the hardest problems online, knowing whether someone is real … while adding meaningful obstacles that are difficult for bad actors to circumvent.”

The company defines “bad actors” as accounts that engage in deceptive behavior, including spamming, scamming, and bots. Currently 98 percent of the content moderation actions on Tinder address fake accounts, scamming, and spam. “There is a significant volume of the overall trust and safety work we do on Tinder that is focused on this challenge.”

Roth says it is a “meaningful improvement in our ability to address scaled abuse. You can get new phone numbers, new email addresses, new devices—you can’t really get a new face.”

The company is aware that asking new members to scan their faces might be seen as a privacy issue, but “theoretically, if somebody were to get access to every single one of these hashes that’s been created, there isn’t really anything they could do.”

The app’s previous verification methods were voluntary. Members, depending on their jurisdiction, could opt to verify their profiles through a selfie or ID process. Other dating apps like Bumble also use facial recognition software to let daters verify their authenticity, but on a voluntary basis.

When asked what the app plans to do about the fake profiles that already exist, given Face Check applies only to new users, Roth says the tech is most effective in curbing “the biggest issue that we’re concerned with, which is the bulk creation of new accounts.”

Jason Parham

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October 22, 2025
Are Dating Apps Dead?

Are Dating Apps Dead?

Tripp Advice

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March 30, 2025
Online Dating, Gen Z, Marijuana And More

Online dating is here to stay, sort of, maybe. A significant portion of both the US and Canada use online dating with success. And like most mass media things, it has involved with the culture. Grinder, long known as the gay hook up site paved the pathway for Tinder, known as a straight hook up site. Match.com, the largest dating app, has few filters and allows people to date who they want – gay, straight, different states, ethnicities and streaming habits.

RELATED: The Most Popular Marijuana Flavors

But for all the benefits, Gen Z is upending it again. Gen Z is moving away from dating apps and meeting people in real life. And learning it definitely different meeting someone face to face instead of gram to gram. Studies show the most popular user of dating apps are between the ages of 30 and 49, mostly millennial, make up 61% of dating app users, whereas Gen-Z comes in at only 26%.

This generation are into grandma’s china, vinyl, home cooking and vintage clothes. But they are also inclusive with 41% wanting clothing retailers to offer more inclusive sizes a range of body types in advertising. And they have a whole different take on marijuana.

Boomers tend to see marijuana in a skeptical eye. While more are starting to be open to it, it is more of a novel than say beer, wine or gardening. Gen Z sees marijuana as a better option than booze. They have started drifting away from alcohol and embracing weed. Especially in smaller groups. With vapes and gummies being more on the go, minimum odor and more discreet, it is the sound solution. A portion of Gen Z helped make California Sober a thing, which is when you just use marijuana and give up alcohol.

Match.com was the first dating site to add 4/20 friendly in November of 2019. Now it is on most mainstream sites and Gen Z sees it more like asking if you like craft cocktails. They are also are more open to a wider variety of people for short and longer term relationships.

RELATED: This Natural Cannabinoid Makes You Feel Happy

As Gen-Z open their minds and heart with in-person dating, they are experiencing what previous generations have long endured. They cite fear of rejection and being cringe amongst their top concerns for being online. Older generations have more experience with the discomfort of dating rejection both online and in person. Experience helps frame the rejection and rebound more easily after an awkward encounter, rather than internalizing it as “cringe” which can’t be overcome.

Sarah Johns

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August 7, 2024
Tinder, Hinge, Bumble… they’re all just one big sh*t show (30 Photos)

Ben

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August 1, 2024
Nebraska Supreme Court upholds woman’s murder conviction, life sentence in killing and dismemberment of Tinder date

The Nebraska Supreme Court has upheld the murder conviction and life sentence of a woman in the 2017 death and dismemberment of a Nebraska hardware store clerk.

Bailey Boswell, 30, was convicted in 2020 of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and improper disposal of human remains in the death of 24-year-old Sydney Loofe. Boswell’s co-defendant and boyfriend at the time of the killing, 58-year-old Aubrey Trail, was convicted of the same charges in 2019 and sentenced to death in 2021.

Prosecutors said Boswell and Trail had been planning to kill someone before Boswell met Loofe on the dating app Tinder. Boswell made plans for a date with Loofe, a cashier at a Menards store in Lincoln, to lure her to the apartment where she was strangled.

In this Aug. 6, 2018, file photo, Bailey Boswell, right, sits with her attorney Todd Lancaster during Boswell’s murder trial at the Saline County Court in Wilbur, Neb.

Eric Gregory/Lincoln Journal Star via AP, Pool, File

The FBI and other law enforcement spent three weeks searching for Loofe before her dismembered remains were found in December 2017. Loofe’s body was found cut into 14 pieces and left in garbage bags in ditches along rural roads in southeastern Nebraska.

Loofe was still alive when Trail and Boswell were caught on store surveillance video buying the tools that police think they used to dismember her, prosecutors said in court documents.

In her appeal, Boswell challenged the admission of evidence by prosecutors in her trial, including photographs of Loofe’s dismembered body, arguing the gruesome photos served only to turn the jury against her. Boswell also objected to the testimony of several women who said Trail and Boswell had talked of occult fantasies and had expressed a desire to sexually torture and kill women.

During Boswell’s sentencing hearing, Doug Warner, the assistant attorney general, pointed to a photo of Loofe’s detached arm, with a tattoo that read “Everything will be wonderful someday,” CBS affiliate KMTV reported. Warner said some of the knife marks around the tattoo had nothing to do with the dismemberment.

Warner cited the “apparent relishment of the murder by the defendant, needless mutilation of the victim, senselessness of the crime and helplessness of the victim.”

Sydney Loofe

KMTV

Boswell’s defense attorney argued at her trial that she was forced by Trail to go along with the killing and dismemberment of Loofe.

Justice Stephanie Stacy wrote for the high court’s unanimous ruling Friday that “there is no merit to any of Boswell’s assigned errors regarding the trial court’s evidentiary rulings.”

Shortly after Loofe’s disappearance, Boswell and Trail initially posted a Facebook video in which they maintained their innocence, KMTV reported. Boswell said in the video she and Loofe did drugs at her house before she dropped Loofe off at a friend’s house. Boswell said they had planned to go to a casino that weekend, but she hadn’t heard from Loofe since.

The video was a deleted a few hours after it was posted to the “Finding Sydney Loofe” Facebook page.

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May 10, 2024
Are dating apps making it easier for romance scammers?

Are dating apps making it easier for romance scammers? – CBS News

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All this week, CBS News has been investigating online romance scams. In this final installment, Jim Axelrod looks at what law enforcement and lawmakers can do — but also why it’s important for the online dating industry to police itself.

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April 24, 2024
Tinder is making it easier to share date details with family and friends

has revealed a feature that both helps users share their excitement about a date with loved ones and acts as a safety tool. The Share My Date feature lets users share details about a planned date with a single link.

The URL can point to details including the location, date and time of the rendezvous along with a photo of your match and a link to their profile. The page can include some notes too. You can edit your date plans so those you share that link with have the most up-to-date info. Dates can be set in the app up to 30 days in advance. For those lucky folks out there who have a bunch of matches they make IRL plans with, you can create an unlimited number of dates and share those with your loved ones.

Tinder says that around 51 percent of users under 30 already share date details with their friends, while 19 percent of users do so with their mom. It’s always a good idea to let someone know where and when you’re going on a date and details about the person you’re meeting up with, just to be safe. Share My Date could simplify the process a bit. Back in 2020, Match.com that let users send details about their date to emergency contacts if things weren’t going well.

Tinder will roll out Share My Date over the coming months. It’ll be available in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, Singapore, India, Ireland, Germany, France, Spain, Japan, Brazil, Switzerland, Mexico, Netherlands, Italy, Korea, Vietnam and Thailand.

Kris Holt

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April 21, 2024
Study: Millennial Women Forgoing Dating Apps In Favor Of Standing On Misty Jetty, Calling Out To Sea

KINGSTON, RI—In a new study of dating trends published Tuesday, researchers at the University of Rhode Island reported that many millennial women were beginning to forgo apps such as Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge in favor of standing on a misty jetty and calling out to sea. “In our survey of single Americans, we found that women expressed a growing dissatisfaction with online dating, preferring instead to place themselves upon a fog-enshrouded seaside bluff where they could await potential mates with arms open wide, their dresses swaying in the brackish wind,” said sociologist Helen David, who conducted extensive interviews with singles between the ages of 28 and 43, discovering that women who deleted dating apps from their phones and attempted the method were six times more likely to meet a passionate, lovelorn wanderer from afar. “This generation appears to have become disillusioned with the superficiality of meeting people online, and we see a broader trend of women returning to old-fashioned methods of matchmaking, such as setups from friends, singles mixers, and whispering ‘Return to me’ into the dark horizon as they stand alone amid the moonlit cliffs along the craggy shore.” David went on to note that the ghostly apparitions of gentle sailors lost at sea, however, still overwhelmingly preferred to use Tinder.

Removed Notre Dame Scaffolding Reveals Construction Crew Accidentally Built Mosque

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March 20, 2024
Match Group promotes Faye Iosotaluno to Tinder CEO | TechCrunch

Dating app behemoth Match Group has named Faye Iosotaluno as the new Tinder CEO, two years after the previous CEO Renate Nyborg left the company in August 2022. During that time, Match Group CEO Bernard Kim held the position.

Iosotaluno has been working at the Match Group since 2017. She was promoted from the company’s chief strategy officer position to Tinder’s chief operating officer in 2022 when Nyborg departed. Nyborg is now building an AI companion startup backed by Sequoia and Andrew Ng’s AI Fund.

“Faye’s understanding of the dating category is unparalleled and coupled together with her remarkable leadership capabilities, I know Tinder will continue to lead the category,” said Bernard Kim, Match Group CEO in a statement.

Match Group has seen the number of paid users decline over the last few quarters. However, in its Q3 2023 earnings report, it said that due to price optimization, overall revenue through paying users increased.

In September, the company introduced a pricey $499 per month subscription to get matched with “most sought after” profiles.

Last year, as a part of a settlement with Google, Match Group was allowed to offer in-app purchases through its own billing services on Play Store alongside Google’s own billing system. This means the dating giant will have to pay 26% or 11% (depending on the type of payment) to Google. This user choice billing agreement between two companies will go into effect by March 31, 2024. This cut might increase in-app purchase earnings for Tinder and other Match Group properties.

Tinder also started to experiment with an AI-powered photo selection feature last year. In August, Match Group appointed former Zyanga head of growth Mark Kantor as head of vice president of innovation to focus on introducing AI-powered features across its properties.

Earlier this week, The Wall Street Journal reported that activist investor Elliot Investment Mangement has built up a stake of $1 billion in the Match Group. Elliot will discuss changes with the Match Group to improve the company’s performance, according to the report.

Match Group’s stock has dipped over 13% in the last 12 months. However, on the back of the reports of Elliot’s investment and appointment of the new CEO, the share prices jumped over 3% during after-hours on Tuesday.

Ivan Mehta

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January 9, 2024
The 4 Biggest Mistakes Men Make On Dating Apps

In 2022, there were 57.44 million online dating service users in the United States.

Almost 30% of the dating pool dabble or go full on for the dating apps. There are niches for everyone, Anbe, Glamdating, Pupspace and more. They are supposed to make dating easier, but sometimes things don’t work out. For some, online conversations are just as hard as face to face ones. It is also harder to read clues from the other person. To help, here are the 4 biggest mistakes men make on dating apps.

Pick Up Lines

Related: 5 Dating Apps Perfect For Introverts And Shy People

Unless you look like Brad Pitt, pick up lines almost never work. They’re lame at best and usually always cringe-worthy. Also, you don’t want to start off a virtual conversation this way. There’s never a smooth way of saying “I’d hit you with a cheesy pickup line but your bio says you’re lactose intolerant,” because no one can pull that off. It’s best to be safe and just say “Hey,” you know, like a real human person.

Saying The Same Thing To Every Person

Dating apps are virtual and help in making you forget that there’s a real live person behind the profile photos. Try to do your research and read through the entire bio. If there’s nothing there you can use, then it’s best to tread carefully and start a conversation as genuinely as possible.

Bringing Up Sex Every Five Minutes

If you’ve matched with someone online, avoid discussing sex during the first conversation. While a lot of people use Tinder and other dating apps for hooking up, first you must meet the person and you’ll never do that if you start requesting nudes from the get go.

Lying

RELATED: People Who Use Weed Also Do More Of Another Fun Thing

Dating apps are the perfect place for lying. On them, you can pretend that you’re much taller, successful, and good looking that you already are. While you may trick someone into believing that you’re more good looking in pictures, it’s pretty tough to pretend that you’re into a bunch of things that you’re not really into. Trust us, lying will bite you in the ass sooner or later, so it’s best to just be honest.

Maria Loreto

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December 9, 2023
Tinder Red Flags, Secret Families, And More: This Week In Local News November 26, 2023

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November 26, 2023
The BEST Tips for Success On Dating Apps

Fall is in the air, pumpkin spice is in cups and cuffing season has started. Last year, there were over 58 million online dating service users in Canada and the United States. People have the urge to connect, engage in a relationship and bond with someone. About 40% use a dating app with 70% have had some success.

There are a plethora of dating apps and sites that those looking for love can choose from, depending on gender, sexual orientation, and whether they are searching for hook ups or long-term partners – there is something for everyone when it comes to dating online. So her are the best tips for success on dating apps.

Take your time selecting photos

RELATED: Hate Dating? Here Are 5 Tips That Can Help You See Things In A Different Light

It could be argued that online dating is based solely on your selection of photos. Of course, there’s your bio and other bits of information, but photos carry a large responsibility when it comes to swipes. When you select your personal photos, make sure to choose images that serve different purposes and that are relatively new. You should have at least one close up and one establishing shot, with other photos that compliment your profile and that show hints of your personality and interests. Cluttered images or ones that contain tons of people should be avoided since they’re confusing for strangers. If you need a second opinion, be sure to ask your friends to pitch in and help you make good choices.

Write a good bio

An emoji doesn’t replace a bio. According to Tinder executive Rosette Pambakian, men are 98 percent less likely to get a match if their bio space is left blank. No matter how much space you have available in your bio, make sure to try to cover some aspects of your interest and personality. Popular Science suggests avoiding “Generic openers, too much boasting, and attempts at awkward humor.” We agree.

Take chances on people

The more choices you have, the harder it is to make your decision. This poses a real problem for dating apps, where possibilities are practically endless – if you’re straight and live in a city. Make sure to go through people’s profiles carefully, not settling but trying to look beyond the screen and into the real person. Don’t discard someone over a bad photo or a poor haircut.

Be active online

RELATED: 5 First Date Rules You Should Forget About

In order for dating apps to work, you need to use them regularly. It’s okay to take periodic brakes from apps, but it’s also important to remember why you’re using them in the first place. Every once in a while log in, update your info, reply to messages and do some swiping. Dating apps have algorithms, with every action you take improving your compatibility with the app, getting you closer to what you want.

Know the differences between each app

Each app has pros and cons and it’s important to get to know them. Tinder has a reputation of being the prime facilitator for hookups, but it’s also got the most amount of users. Bumble is supposedly a little more serious and preferred by women. Give each app a try and see which one fits best. It also helps to visit the sites’ FAQ and do a quick read through of their perks and benefits.

Maria Loreto

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October 26, 2023
Is LinkedIn the New Tinder? Some Unhappy Women Think So. | Entrepreneur

Is LinkedIn the new Tinder? While many of its 930 million members use the networking site for professional purposes, some see it as a way to hit on women, according to a new survey.

But this isn’t going over well with many female users who rely on the site for drumming up business, making contacts, and learning about recent trends. Some are even choosing to leave the site altogether.

Passport Photo Online surveyed 1,049 US female LinkedIn users who log in to the platform at least once weekly about being propositioned on the platform. About 91% said they received romantic advances or sexually inappropriate messages at least once. Many unwanted flirtations (31%) come straight to their DMs.

“It’s amusing how my inbox is flooded with more messages from guys trying to hit on me than I receive from people seeking to network. I guess my charm and business acumen are just too irresistible for some,” wrote one survey taker.

Related: Don’t Do These 3 Things on LinkedIn. Recruiters Will ‘Spot Them From a Mile Off.’

What the inappropriate messages say

The survey asked women to reveal the contents of the unasked-for overtures and found that nearly 32% received requests to date or hook up, 30% were asked for “intimate personal information,” and 14% got unsolicited flattery.

Nearly 12% of those surveyed reported being sent a crude message.

How women react

Perhaps needless to say, most of those surveyed did not appreciate the lechery on LinkedIn. Fourteen percent reported being “annoyed,” while 9% felt “violated.”

Some responded directly to the sender, saying they were being inappropriate (44%). Half that number just chose to ignore the messages. About 17% reported the behavior to LinkedIn or blocked the sender.

Most women surveyed (74%) found the relentless flirtations too much to bear and either limited their use of LinkedIn or left the network entirely.

“I’ve had a few too many instances where people took it too far. It’s uncomfortable, so I ended up taking a break from LinkedIn for a while,” wrote one survey taker.

Related: 7 Ways Dating Apps Are Lying To You

Why are people using LinkedIn as a dating site?

The survey did not reach out to those perpetrating the inappropriate behavior, leaving us only to theorize why the behavior seems so rampant.

In an article in Glamour magazine, one expert says that LinkedIn doesn’t screen potential suitors as other dating apps do. “LinkedIn has the lowest barrier to entry and is the least ‘risky’ social platform to connect with someone,” said Molly Fedick, formerly of Hinge. “If you get rejected, you can always default to, ‘Well, I just wanted to connect for professional reasons.’ This is why I think people use LinkedIn to ‘test the waters’— they view it as less aggressive than a Facebook or Instagram request.”

So how do you get LinkedIn back to the business for which it was originally designed?

39% said the platform should increase awareness and education about appropriate behavior.

25% believed LinkedIn should implement stricter guidelines and policies

22% called for a ban on users who repeatedly send inappropriate messages

Jonathan Small

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August 7, 2023
7 Ways All Dating Apps Are Lying To You | Entrepreneur

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Dating apps have undoubtedly revolutionized how people find love and connect with others. 3 in 10 US adults say they have used an online dating service (website or app). The convenience and accessibility of dating apps have made it easier for individuals to meet potential partners, but it has also contributed to some negative impacts on the dating scene. In this article, we will explore why dating apps can be detrimental to the dating experience.

1. Superficiality

Research from William Chopik, an associate professor in the Michigan State University Department of Psychology, and Dr. David Johnson from the University of Maryland, finds that people’s reason for swiping right is based primarily on attractiveness and the race of a potential partner and that decisions are often made in less than a second.

One of the primary criticisms of dating apps is that they tend to focus on superficial qualities rather than deeper compatibility. Users are often swiping through potential matches based on their physical appearance rather than considering their personalities or values. This can lead to a culture of shallow and superficial dating, where people are judged solely on their looks and not their character.

Related: 5 Secrets to Building a Successful Consumer App

2. Inauthenticity

Another issue with dating apps is that they can promote a culture of inauthenticity. Users often present an idealized version, i.e., a highlight reel of themselves online, carefully curating their profiles to showcase their best qualities. This can lead to a lack of transparency and honesty in the dating process, making it harder for people to form genuine connections.

Related: Gen Z Falls In Love With Homegrown Dating Apps

3. Dehumanization

A 2020 study by Pew Research found that one-third of women using dating apps have been called an abusive name, and almost half of women had men continue to pursue them online after they said no. That’s double the rate that men experience. Dating apps can contribute to the dehumanization of potential partners.

When people are reduced to a profile picture and a short bio, it can be easy to forget that they are real human beings with complex emotions and experiences. This can lead to a lack of empathy and understanding in the dating process, making it harder for people to form meaningful connections with others.

4. Burnout

The sheer volume of potential matches on dating apps can also lead to burnout. The 70 million adults in America that use dating apps have developed a rejection mindset that makes dating feel particularly unpromising and exhausting.

Users are often overwhelmed by the sheer number of options available to them, which can lead to decision fatigue and a feeling of being emotionally drained. This can make it harder for people to put effort into any one relationship, as they are constantly wondering if there might be someone better out there.

Related: From Machine Learning to Unfiltered Videos, These Online Dating Trends Are Set to Improve the Tricky World of Dating

5. Catfishing and scams

Dating apps are also notorious for catfishing and scams. Users can easily create fake profiles or misrepresent themselves online, leading to disappointment or even danger when users meet in person. This can lead to a lack of trust in the online dating process, making it harder for people to form genuine connections.

In 2019, the Columbia School of Journalism in New York City and news site ProPublica found that the Match Group, which owns around 45 dating apps, only screens for sex offenders on its paid-for apps, not free platforms like Tinder, OKCupid and Hinge. While some work has been done to correct the lack of fraud prevention in online dating, there’s a loophole in American internet law, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which dictates sites can’t be held accountable for the harm that comes to third parties through their platforms.

Related: Online Dating Scammer Steals $1.8 Million from His Victims. Women ‘Fed Lie After Lie.’

6. Limited communication

Dating apps can limit communication between potential partners. Users are often limited to texting or messaging, and without the benefit of face-to-face interaction, it can be harder to gauge a person’s true character or intentions, leading to misunderstandings or miscommunications.

7. No in-app advertising transparency

Finally, and perhaps the best (worst?) for last. Major dating apps like Tinder, Bumble and Hinge lack any sort of in-app advertising transparency. Users are constantly upsold on more premium features like boosting a profile for 1 hour to be seen by more members, but there’s never any reporting data on impressions made, engagement, clicks, etc. Ad performance data is available across all digital platforms, such as Google and Meta, but appears nonexistent within the dating apps space.

In conclusion, while dating apps have undoubtedly made it easier for people to meet potential partners, they have also contributed to some negative impacts on the dating scene. Superficiality, inauthenticity, dehumanization, burnout, catfishing and scams, limited communication and lack of in-app advertising transparency are all potential downsides to using dating apps.

While they can be useful for meeting people, it’s essential to approach them cautiously and be aware of their limitations. Ultimately, the best way to find a meaningful relationship is by getting to know someone in person through genuine interactions and communication.

The number one contributing factor to finding a mate is proximity, i.e., if I want to find someone interested in nonfiction books, I need to go to book readings with nonfiction book authors, or salsa classes for salsa aficionados or dog parks for dog lovers. The point is to know your values and go to places with people who share the same values as you do.

Kevin Kaminyar

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March 24, 2023
Online Dating Scammer Steals $1.8 Million from His Victims | Entrepreneur

Look out for people on dating apps who offer investment opportunities too good to be true.

That’s the message from the District Attorney’s Office in New York City, which recently brought charges against a lying Lothario they allege swindled his lovers out of millions.

Nelson Counne, who also goes by “Nelson Roth” or “Justin Roth,” was indicted in a Manhattan court for bilking more than $1.8 million from five women through a series of romance and investment scams.

“He allegedly fed lie after lie to women he falsely claimed to have a romantic interest in, enticing them with investment opportunities that never existed while using their funds to repay past victims, lure in new ones, and fund his lifestyle,” said District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr.

Related: The Scam Artist Who Robbed Backstreet Boys and NSYNC Blind. ‘Some of the Guys Couldn’t Pay Their Car Payment.’

Dating for dollars

Counne, 69, met most of his victims via online dating sites, where he posed as a wealthy retired art dealer and investor with homes in London, Manhattan, and the South of France, according to the indictment.

In reality, Counne doesn’t own any homes and never travels internationally—he doesn’t even have a passport. His sole source of income was the money he stole from his lovers between 2012 and 2021.

The scam worked like this: After winning his victims’ affection and trust, Counne convinced many of them to invest with him. He never shared any details of his business dealing, claiming the investments were in a “gray area between legal and illegal” and that he had access to inside information.

Some of his phony investments included Alibaba and a start-up purportedly run by a former Google executive, which would provide an online lottery that potential college students could pay to enter for a chance to win tuition coverage.

“Most of the victims were initially hesitant, but Counne persisted until each agreed to invest,” according to a press release by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.

A Ponzi scheme

The DA alleges that Counne ran a classic Ponzi scheme, using the money from one of his marks to pay another. This enabled him to appear wealthy to new victims and repay previous victims suspicious of his fraud.

Counne now faces charges of scheme to defraud in the first degree, grand larceny in the second degree, and grand larceny in the third degree.

Romance scams like this are not uncommon. In 2021, some 24,000 victims reported losing approximately $1 billion to romance scams, according to the FBI.

Jonathan Small

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March 14, 2023
Someone On Tinder Made A Game About What It’s Like To Date Them

Photo: STR/NurPhoto (Getty Images)

There is a bottomless dress-up box filled with things that people look for in a partner. You might prefer someone who is funny or empathetic, I consider myself lucky to have ended up with someone who never had an AJR phase. And I’m sure, out there somewhere, there is a person who wouldn’t want to date anyone who doesn’t demonstrate their proficiency in C++ within the first 40 seconds of knowing them. And for that person, this Tinder user who made an entire lo-fi video game about dating them is likely the one.

Games journalist Imogen Mellor first spotted the game after its creator Super Liked (that’s an extra, extra like for the folks at home who can’t recall the horrors of online dating) her profile on Tinder.

“I swear to God,” she said on Twitter, “someone just Super [Liked] me on Tinder and they’ve made a game about dating them????? and you can actually PLAY IT???”

The game is a 32-bit slice-of-life, complete with a character creator and seemingly unprompted Zelda: Breath of the Wild endorsement.

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Unlike other 32-bit indie games, though, this one is tailored to fit its creator’s dating needs exactly.

“It’s a browser game that contains info about the creator, their hobbies, passions, food preferences, a little video of foxes playing in their garden, a 3D model of their home, and a compatibility test,” Mellor tweeted. “I’m floored.” She didn’t respond to Kotaku’s request for comment in time for publication.

Providing strangers with a 3D model of your home feels like a security risk to me, personally, but I guess it’s important to always map out your exits when you’re dating a gamer. This one, in particular, “worked on an AI that was capable of getting to grandmaster in Starcraft II,” Mellor said, and she hasn’t “swiped left or right simply out of brain freeze on if I just want to talk to him.”

“This person must be very specific with the type of women they’re pursuing,” she said. “Actually, the game suggests as much with a full list of things they’re looking for in a person.” Well, it’s clear that we all learned something from this. Online dating makes everyone act in very healthy and normal ways. Good luck out there.

Ashley Bardhan

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January 26, 2023
‘Mental health, Russia-Ukraine War’: What got single people talking on Tinder in 2022

Tinder dating trends: Stances on social issues were considered important for making or breaking matches this year as 75 per cent single Indians sought a match respectful of or invested in social issues on the online dating app Tinder. The top five social issues that got people talking in 2022 were LGBTQ+ rights, environment, mental health, feminism, and the Russia-Ukraine crisis, as per Tinder’s Year in Swipe report.

Other issues that got Tinder users talking were cyber safety, inflation, work-life balance, animal welfare, and politics whereas mentions of activism and voter rights saw an increase in profiles.

Life Coach and Tinder’s Relationship expert Dr. Chandni Tugait said, “Young adults are feeling more confident, recognise what healthy dating looks like, and know what positive signs to look out for when swiping. They are able to focus on the positive characteristics and attitudes that they believe will keep them happy, content, and feeling valued throughout their relationship.”

She added, “So while they may go on blind dates, they no longer turn a blind eye to red flags and increasingly look for green flags or positives in a match or a relationship.” Due to the increasing awareness about green and red flags in a match and/or a relationship, red flag, mending heart, and gaslighting emojis were trending on the platform.

Apart from red and green flags in a relationship, young single Indians are also clear about the qualities they prefer in a partner. Young Indians prioritised attributes like loyalty (79 per cent), respect (78 per cent), someone who is clear about what they want and has good hygiene (73 per cent), and open-mindedness (61 per cent) over looks (56 per cent).

Also read: Tinder’s ‘Let’s Talk Gender’ online glossary is the guide we all needed

Also read: Tinder dating trends 2022: Users want hygienic partners, prefer coffee dates over dinner

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November 29, 2022
Swiping Right in the ‘New Normal’: RealMe Report Reveals 2 in 3 Online Daters Have Lowered Their Standards, Less Okay Being Single
Press Release
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updated: Sep 10, 2020
LOS ANGELES, September 10, 2020 (Newswire.com)
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Since the coronavirus was deemed a pandemic and social distancing has been mandated across the country, online dating has seen a significant increase in activity. A new survey commissioned by RealMe, a transformative technology offering a no-cost way to make people safer on dating apps, reveals the potential lasting impact of the coronavirus on online dating behaviors, including attitudes on loneliness and singledom in the “new normal.”

Survey findings revealed loneliness is an acute motivating factor for online daters, with 67% of respondents reporting they are “less okay” with being single during this time and a similar proportion increasingly worried about finding a partner. Survey results also showed 64% of respondents are less picky with their matches in quarantine due to their desire for companionship.

“There’s no denying the pandemic is driving new online behaviors, which are here to stay,” says Mark Brooks, online dating expert and CEO of the Internet Dating Excellence Association (IDEA). “Ninety-five percent of respondents plan to continue at least one online dating behavior they developed during the pandemic, which implies the way we choose to find love and build connections has forever changed. In the ‘new normal,’ online daters will place more value on quality interactions that reduce feelings of loneliness. However, it’s worth noting, this newfound desire for companionship could lead users to ignore red flags and, therefore, make them more vulnerable to dating scams, as the inclination to misrepresent is on the rise, with three in four online daters admitting to lying on their profiles. This means there’s a higher burden on dating apps to authenticate, reduce risk, and provide more assurance.”

Other notable findings from the survey include:
- If social distancing stays in place for another few months, more than half of online daters report they will use dating apps more frequently. This number was especially high for millennials (64%).
- Seventy-two percent of online daters feel more hesitant to have physical contact when meeting someone in person.
- Over 76% of respondents invest more time in talking to the other person.
- Over a third of respondents say they plan on having more meaningful conversations even after the pandemic is over.
- Dating behaviors differ between personality traits, with specific profiles more inclined to display “red flag behaviors.” For example, 69% of less emotionally stable respondents are more worried about finding a new partner. Extraverts are more likely to spend more time on dating apps than introverts, with 75% claiming to use video chat features more frequently during the pandemic.
- Nearly nine in 10 online daters wish they could obtain more information about the person they were talking to and would be more likely to meet up with them if their profile was “verified” via enhanced safety features, such as a reputation checker that pulls data from criminal records, lawsuits and financial documents.
“The implications of the pandemic on online dating go way beyond a spike in user activity. It’s transforming the way people meet and connect with each other in the long term, but some of these newfound behaviors come with their own risks and security concerns,” says Neil Davis, RealMe Head of Dating. “That’s where RealMe can help – it’s a sophisticated, yet simple, platform to verify users and provides access to reputation information to reduce fraud and improve safety, while increasing trust in dating apps and other online marketplaces.”

Commissioned by RealMe and conducted by FTI Consulting, the survey involved over 3,000 respondents in the U.S. weighted on age, gender, location and the 2016 Presidential vote. For media inquiries and/or to obtain the full study results, please contact emily@tylerbarnettpr.com.

About RealMe

Only RealMe adds the necessary layer of trust and transparency to the U.S. Internet for people and companies engaged in online marketplaces –– such as dating apps, shopping, and home services. With fraud and theft prevalent online, RealMe provides websites with a turnkey, no-cost way to protect their users, and individual users with the peace of mind to take advantage of opportunities they find. With instant access to over 325 million verified Reputation Profiles sourced from billions of data points compiled by public records and information sources, people can make informed decisions about anyone’s trustworthiness by seeing unique background information, criminal and arrest records, financial records, legal records, personal reviews, and Reputation Scores. RealMe shares its passion and expertise with individuals and companies that believe trust is the foundation that allows us to flourish online. For more information on RealMe, visit realmehq.com/dating.

Source: RealMe
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September 10, 2020