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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Tinder tests a controversial height filter as paid dating apps users keep dropping
Love is a lot less lucrative lately—if you're the company that owns Tinder (MTCH), Hinge and OKCupid. Shares in Match Group fell 7% on Thursday after the company reported its paid user group shrunk 5% by 700,000 people—from 14.9 million users in 2023 to 14.2 million in 2024, and its plans to cut 13% of its workforce. New CEO Spencer Rascoff, who started the job in February, faces uncertain times in the online dating market. User engagement has slowed due to inflation and lack of new features, although both Match and Bumble (BMBL), its main U.S. competitor, are using AI features to try and improve user experience. One new Tinder feature has been controversial: a new trial allowing paying users to use height as a filter. It's raised the ire of self-identified 'short kings' concerned about 'heightism.' Hinge, on the other hand, already has height as a filter. Match Group owns both companies. In 2010, OKCupid said its research showed that most men inflate their height by two inches. While 2010 to 2016 is considered the peak of popularity for dating apps, global revenue and number of users continue to rise. A 2024 survey by Forbes found that 45% of Americans thought apps were the best place to find a date. Yet those people are likely older: a 2023 Axios survey found that a whopping 79% of college-age adults don't use any dating apps at all. 'I feel dating apps have ruined the dating scene for many people my age and ruined their self-confidence,' one Texan student told Axios. Digital natives might turn to analog solutions instead, like fitness clubs. Bumble's revenue was also down in its first-quarter report, although it met its revenue target; its shares rose in April after the news. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten Melden Sie sich an, um Ihr Portfolio aufzurufen. Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Tinder faces heat over testing height filter for premium users; sparks heightism controversy
Tinder is stirring up controversy with the trial of a new premium feature that lets users filter potential matches by height. The move, aimed at premium subscribers, has sparked a heated debate online with many criticising the availability of the option. Also Read: What are Labubu dolls? Where to get the 2025's viral collectibles? Tinder's new height feature is not a strict filter but rather a paid preference, meaning it serves as a suggestion to the app's matching algorithm rather than excluding users below a certain height. While it will not block profiles outright, it aims to prioritize matches that align with a user's stated preference, offering more tailored—but still flexible—results. The feature has, however, sparked controversy among social media users who are concerned that men of shorter heights will suffer at the hands of this new feature on the dating site as a consequence of height preferences. According to the data compiled by OKCupid, heightism is rife on dating platforms as men add two inches to their original heights to appear more appealing to women. And this works both ways, as women with a 5ft 4 are expected to receive 60 more messages on dating apps than a girl who is 6ft. Meanwhile, Hinge, which is also a popular dating platform and has the same parent company as Tinder, Match Group, is already providing the height filter to its premium users, as reported by The Independent. Also Read: Jonathan Joss murder: Actor struggled to return to San Antonio from Austin hours before death, 'I'm being ghosted' A user wrote on X, 'A weight filter is ridiculous, but so is a height filter. This will strengthen the hypergamy effect which could have serious negative consequences for society in the long run. And I say this as a tall guy who would benefit from such a filter if I would be on tinder.' A second user wrote, 'They put the Tinder height filter behind a paywall, short kings are safe. Pretty girls don't pay for dating apps.' A third user wrote, 'It's over for short men. What are they going to do now?' While some thought that the filter was not that bad as one user wrote, 'I am a fan of the height filter on tinder. Don't waste time talking to someone that's not ur specific ideal customer profile it helps both parties save time.' Another user wrote, 'I don't get the frustration; the woman has the preference whether Tinder puts it on a filter or not. Unless your strategy it to lie about your height and then pull it off IRL in the first meeting (bad choice) its not going to change anything.'
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Best UK dating sites and apps to help you find love in 2025
Looking for love online is one of the single-most popular ways to meet a new partner. Yet, with so many dating apps and sites available, it can almost feel impossible to find the one that's right for you, especially if you don't want an app that makes you swipe right or left to meet your match. We're here to play matchmaker and have rounded up the best UK dating websites to help you find love in 2025, from free services to those that use impressive personality testing. You can forget about incessant swiping, these websites are all about helping you find a meaningful connection. is perhaps the best known dating site, and it's certainly one of the more well-reputed in the field, honing its algorithm to identify long-term compatibility and facilitate countless first dates, serious relationships and successful marriages. Sign up now Since its launch in 2000, two million people have found love on E Harmony. Its 32-dimension personality test uses psychological truths to identify areas of compatibility between two individuals. The dating site's mission is to foster relationships that last, and every potential match will have a reason behind it. Sign up now Relying on findings from 40 years of research, Parship delivers you a selection of matches based on those it believes are best suited to you, with 9 out of 10 Parship couples still happily together. Sign up now Zoosk is a socially savvy dating site known for its diverse membership base and behavioural matchmaking system. Over 35 million singles in 80 countries have joined the network so far, and it is growing larger every day. The platform offers many different ways to communicate and express interest in members, so it's easy to form a fast connection here. Sign up now The dating site for like-minded singletons over 50, Our Time helps connect those with similar interests and puts on events (in real life!) where you can meet others on the app. Our Time dating services are ideal if you're looking for a no-nonsense approach to mature online dating. The app lets users join for free, but some features are only available with paid subscriptions. Sign up now In 2004, OKCupid's founders launched a free dating site, which delves into what personal attributes made relationships work. OKCupid members can send unlimited messages for free, or upgrade to make use of extra features that will help you gain more insight into prospective matches and really see who is drawn to you. Sign up now Plenty of Fish prides itself on being good for facilitating conversations. It supports 100% free and unlimited messaging for over 120 million monthly users in 20 countries. Sign up now EliteSingles uses a personality test to match users based on their compatibility. The test takes into account looks, personality (with questions on how optimistic and ambitious you are, your social skills, how friends would describe you and more), and what you're looking for in a partner - including whether or not you want children. Sign up now Tailored to matchmaking ambitious, career-savvy young professionals, Inner Circle global community of over seven million members. The app is free to download, but you can upgrade to premium packages. There are also exclusive members events that are set to resume post-lockdown for anyone who is tired of sitting online. Sign up now
The Guardian
27-04-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Dating apps face a reckoning as users log off: ‘There's no actual human connection'
Sad, dizzyingly over-scheduled and suffering a serious case of 'thumb fatigue', midway through last year, Anne* decided to delete her dating apps. For the previous four months, the 31-year-old Sydney resident had been attempting to achieve two major adult milestones at once: finding love and finding a place to buy. Every Saturday, it felt as though she was being priced out of another suburb, and at auctions she was mainly surrounded by couples. Then she would come home, open Hinge and experience a crushing sense of rejection 'on such a personal level'. Worse still, first dates were beginning to feel as transactional as real estate. 'There'd be no attempt to go on a second date or explore any further, which I think is also a bit of an app mentality,' she says. 'No huge sparks to start with, so there's plenty more out there.' The cost of dating was weighing on her too. 'Going for drinks a couple of times a week … doesn't seem that much until it starts adding up really quickly.' Anne's policy had always been to split bills on first dates, 'But then there were times when I was like, 'Oh, I would just much rather he paid for me, so I can save a little bit,'' she says. 'It's a weird one – I'm normally quite a generous person, but I felt I had to really keep that in check.' It wasn't just going on dates that took a toll on her finances: her app of choice, Hinge, cost money to use. She would occasionally pay for 'Roses' – a way of showing a potential match your interest. 'There were a few times where I thought, 'Oh, it's only $15, I'll just do that.' And then, again, that very quickly starts adding up.' Her mental health 'completely destroyed', she realised 'I can't do both of these things' and turned her full focus to house hunting. 'It was so much all at once.' Anne is not alone in logging off. Shares in Match Group, the US tech company which operates the world's biggest portfolio of online dating services including Tinder, Hinge, and OKCupid, have fallen by more than two-thirds over the past five years. Shares in rival Bumble Inc are down nearly 95% since their pandemic highs. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning The reason for the steep falls is simple: not enough people are paying for their apps. While the number of people who paid to use Hinge increased by 290,000 in 2024, according to Match Group's latest financial report, 679,000 people stopped paying for Tinder. The numbers suggest that while some people are migrating to Hinge, it's not nearly enough to offset those who logged off altogether. There were also steep losses among some of Match's other brands. Overall, Match suffered a net loss of 704,000 paying subscribers over the course of a year, with Meetic, OkCupid, Plenty of Fish, BLK, Chispa and The League among the declining platforms. Bumble did not respond to Guardian Australia's request for comment. Match Group declined to comment for this story, but referred to an open letter by its chief executive officer, Spencer Rascoff. 'To reach our full potential, we must confront a hard truth: we haven't always met the high standards we set for the user experience,' Rascoff said in the letter, shared on LinkedIn. 'Too often, our apps have felt like a numbers game rather than a place to build real connections, leaving people with the false impression that we prioritise metrics over experience.' John* has dipped in and out of online dating in various forms over the last seven years. The now 51-year-old met his previous long-term partner at a music festival, and says: 'It's just completely different, connecting with a person face-to-face.' Although he enjoyed meeting new people, 'nothing ever came out of it', he says. He also found the frequent ghosting frustrating. 'That never feels nice.' Recently, John decided to try US-based online dating service eHarmony, because its more elaborate, questionnaire-based approach to matchmaking sounded promising. After spending 'quite a bit of time' on his questionnaire, John discovered the site was 'effectively paywalled' and you 'couldn't even see other people's profiles' without paying a fee. Sign up to Saved for Later Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips after newsletter promotion Already disheartened by online dating, he didn't want to spend the money. Then he attempted to delete his eHarmony account, but found no clear way to do so. When he contacted the company through its customer service portal, the response sent by eHarmony, seen by Guardian Australia, said: 'Unfortunately we cannot delete your account at this time due to a pending legal matter in Australia. However, we have made your profile inaccessible to any potential new matches. Your account will remain visible to your existing contacts.' John said he was 'flabbergasted' by the response. 'Especially dating site data, it's pretty vulnerable information,' he says. 'It just felt like such a huge betrayal, because if they couldn't delete it, why didn't they say it at the very beginning?' A spokesperson for eHarmony said the company was 'deeply committed to providing every member of our community with a best-in-class experience'. 'Everyone who joins eHarmony begins with a free basic membership,' they said. 'Basic Members can view certain primary profile information about their matches, and they can also engage in limited communication with their matches at no charge.' They said that, for legal reasons, eHarmony was required to retain 'certain relevant information' which included 'user-related data'. 'As this is a pending legal matter, we are unable to comment further at this time,' they said. John made a complaint to NSW Fair Trading. While the agency determined his complaint did not fall within its jurisdiction, Fair Trading told Guardian Australia that 45 of the 56 complaints about dating services it received since 1 January last year were about eHarmony, mainly in relation to cancellation and cooling-off periods. After John's experience with eHarmony, he decided to 'delete everything'. He likens online dating to a sugar rush, and says the occasional first date just didn't weigh up against the 'emotional cost'. 'It makes you feel like you're connecting with people … you've got all this choice,' he says. 'But it's not nourishing, there's no actual … human connection.' Dating app users risk more than disappointment. An Australian Institute of Criminology survey of 9,987 web and app dating service users found three quarters had experienced sexual violence while using these platforms, and one third were subjected to in-person sexual violence perpetrated by someone they met online. On 1 April, the Albanese government's new code of conduct for dating services came into effect. Designed to reduce harm, it covers the most popular dating platforms including Bumble, RSVP, Grindr and the Match Group. Platforms now risk penalties including formal warnings for not complying with the code. While most of her friends are partnered, Anne says those who are single feel 'quite over' using dating apps. A gay male friend confided his app experiences have been 'really frustrating'. Anne says she found this 'quite reassuring – that it's not just straight men being terrible'. Eventually, after eight months and 92 apartment viewings, Anne found a flat. When she settled into her new home, after five months away from dating, she decided to go back on the apps. But after months of stress, 'I just had really run down my reserves of resilience.' She tried speed dating, which felt like 'throwing money into a gutter' and soon deleted Hinge again. Now she's going to take a new approach to meeting people in real life: salsa dancing lessons. 'Worst-case scenario, I'm getting a bit of exercise, learning a new skill,' she says. 'It's not a complete waste of money.' *Names have been changed
