Latest news with #SpencerRascoff
Yahoo
a day 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
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Tinder's New Height Filter Sparks Fierce Debate
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The end of "short king spring" may be in sight as the summer months arrive and the popular dating app Tinder tests a "height" filter. A spokesperson for Tinder told Newsweek, "We're always listening to what matters most to our Tinder users—and testing the paid height preference is a great example of how we're building with urgency, clarity, and focus." Why It Matters When it comes to dating, preferences about height have often sparked debate. A 2013 study from ScienceDirect found that women prefer their partners to be 8 inches taller than them, while men prefer to be 3 inches taller than their partners. As of 2022, Tinder, one of the most popular dating apps in the U.S., had 75 million monthly active users. The platform, long seen as part of "hookup culture," is undergoing a rebrand in a bid to appeal to Gen Z. Spencer Rascoff, the CEO of Match Group, the app's parent company, hopes to make Tinder known for more serious dating. Tinder's headquarters on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California, on August 28, 2020. Tinder's headquarters on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California, on August 28, 2020. AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images What To Know Tinder is testing the new feature for its gold and premium subscribers. According to the company, the feature is a preference rather than a hard filter, so it doesn't outright block or exclude profiles but acts more as a guidepost. Popular dating apps, such as Hinge and Bumble, already have height filters available behind a paywall for premium users. Though height filters aren't new among dating apps, and height preferences for both men and women have long been well documented, the new filter has sparked a fierce debate online. On X, formerly Twitter, user @uncanny_eli, a media and culture writer, wrote: "Men and women alike are derangingly obsessed with men's heights in theory but it doesn't really translate irl? every day i live my short guy life and it's not much issue meanwhile the popular wisdom on being a 5'6" man is 'Kill Yourself Now.'" Other users asked for a "weight filter" for women. User @Rich_Cooper wrote, "When is age and weight verification coming for women?" "Do we get a weight filter," user @Cryptoking commented. Though the filter has upset some social media users, others have poked fun at the online response. User @kmmyvu wrote on X that it was "hilarious seeing short men act like they're oppressed." Hinge and Tinder are owned by the same parent company, and as of July, Rascoff is set to lead Tinder in addition to being the CEO of Match Group. In a LinkedIn post published on May 28, Rascoff wrote, "We are rethinking not just what we build but how we build it." According to The Wall Street Journal, Rascoff recently told a group of investors: "This generation of Gen Z, 18 to 28—it's not a hookup generation. They don't drink as much alcohol, they don't have as much sex." He added, "We need to adapt our products to accept that reality." What People Are Saying A spokesperson for Tinder told Newsweek: "This is part of a broader effort to help people connect more intentionally on Tinder. Our new product principles guide every decision, and this one speaks directly to a few: prioritizing user outcomes, moving fast, and learning quickly. Not every test becomes a permanent feature, but every test helps us learn how we can deliver smarter, more relevant experiences and push the category forward." X user @enemycharlie wrote: "Not to side with the men here, but why do women 5'3" and under have such strong preferences for men 6ft+. you are a hobbit, 5'8" is tall enough. you can't even tell when your 5'8" boyfriend is lying about being 6'0" because you're so short." Bodybuilder Jeff Nippard wrote on X: "This really isn't a big deal. As a short man, if a woman doesn't find you attractive because of your height then why would you want to be with her anyway?" What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether more features will be released as part of Tinder's rebrand.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Tinder revamp aimed at Gen Zers who 'don't have as much sex'
Tinder's reputation as a 'hookup app' will be a thing of the past if the app's new chief executive has his way. Tinder revolutionized dating for a generation of millennials upon its launch in 2012, but it has been losing appeal among members of the Gen Z demographic, or people aged 18-28, not including those too young to download dating apps. Now, Spencer Rascoff is hoping to win over Gen Zers who he says 'don't have as much sex.' 'This generation of Gen Z, 18 to 28 — it's not a hookup generation. They don't drink as much alcohol, they don't have as much sex,' the 49-year-old chief executive of Tinder owner Match Group, told investors this month, per the New York Post. 'We need to adapt our products to accept that reality,' added Rascoff, the co-founder and former CEO of real estate marketplace Zillow. The company wants to create low-pressure ways for people to meet on the app, such as a 'double dating' feature, to win over Gen Zers. The feature allows users to pair up with friends and match with other pairs for dates. It will be launched globally this summer, Rascoff told the Wall Street Journal. Tinder has been testing 'double dating' in Europe and has seen positive results. Rascoff took the top job at Match Group, which owns Tinder, Hinge and OkCupid, a few months ago, and has said that fixing Tinder is his main concern. He recently announced that he'd be stepping in to lead Tinder, too, after Faye Iosotaluno posted on LinkedIn that she will depart in June after less than two years on the job. In an internal memo, Rascoff asked staffers to speed up product changes, leverage artificial intelligence and focus on improving user safety, according to the Journal. Employees should focus on improving the user experience, even if it comes at the expense of short-term revenue, he said. 'Users don't want more matches, they want better ones,' he said in the memo. Gen Zers have left the platform in search of dating apps that could lead to more lasting relationships. Among 500 dating app users, about 85% said they didn't use Tinder because of its association with 'hookups,' according to a 2023 Wells Fargo survey.
Toronto Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Toronto Sun
Tinder revamp aimed at Gen Zers who 'don't have as much sex'
Tinder's reputation as a 'hookup app' will be a thing of the past if the app's new chief executive has his way. Photo by iStock / GETTY IMAGES Tinder's reputation as a 'hookup app' will be a thing of the past if the app's new chief executive has his way. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Tinder revolutionized dating for a generation of millennials upon its launch in 2012, but it has been losing appeal among members of the Gen Z demographic, or people aged 18-28, not including those too young to download dating apps. Now, Spencer Rascoff is hoping to win over Gen Zers who he says 'don't have as much sex.' 'This generation of Gen Z, 18 to 28 — it's not a hookup generation. They don't drink as much alcohol, they don't have as much sex,' the 49-year-old chief executive of Tinder owner Match Group, told investors this month, per the New York Post . 'We need to adapt our products to accept that reality,' added Rascoff, the co-founder and former CEO of real estate marketplace Zillow. The company wants to create low-pressure ways for people to meet on the app, such as a 'double dating' feature, to win over Gen Zers. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The feature allows users to pair up with friends and match with other pairs for dates. It will be launched globally this summer, Rascoff told the Wall Street Journal . Tinder has been testing 'double dating' in Europe and has seen positive results. Rascoff took the top job at Match Group, which owns Tinder, Hinge and OkCupid, a few months ago, and has said that fixing Tinder is his main concern. He recently announced that he'd be stepping in to lead Tinder, too, after Faye Iosotaluno posted on LinkedIn that she will depart in June after less than two years on the job. Recommended video In an internal memo, Rascoff asked staffers to speed up product changes, leverage artificial intelligence and focus on improving user safety, according to the Journal. Employees should focus on improving the user experience, even if it comes at the expense of short-term revenue, he said. 'Users don't want more matches, they want better ones,' he said in the memo. Gen Zers have left the platform in search of dating apps that could lead to more lasting relationships. Among 500 dating app users, about 85% said they didn't use Tinder because of its association with 'hookups,' according to a 2023 Wells Fargo survey. Sports Editorial Cartoons Columnists Toronto & GTA Sunshine Girls
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Tinder's new head pushes company to move away from 'hookup' reputation and rebrand for Gen Z users
Spencer Rascoff, the CEO of Tinder parent company Match Group, is promising to change the reputation of Tinder as a casual hookup app into a more serious dating app. "This generation of Gen Z, 18 to 28—it's not a hookup generation. They don't drink as much alcohol, they don't have as much sex," Rascoff said to a group of investors, according to The Wall Street Journal. "We need to adapt our products to accept that reality." Unlike the millennial generation, which helped popularize Tinder and shaped the dating app into a domestic and international success, Gen Z appears to be less interested in purely casual dating experiences. Some commentators believe that Gen Z is a generation that is tired of "ghosting," which is defined as suddenly cutting off communications with another person without warning, and instead seeking more authentic dating experiences. Washington State Democrats Want To Tax Online Dating Apps Rascoff signaled that Gen Z's dating preferences are key to the future success of Tinder as a company. "Users don't want more matches, they want better ones," Rascoff wrote in the memo viewed by The Wall Street Journal. Read On The Fox News App Better matches, according to Rascoff, means fundamentally shifting the way that users interact with Tinder. "Think of Tinder like a bar where people come together to meet new people," Rascoff said. "We have to innovate to drive more people into our establishment, and that means renovating our bar." Rascoff is slated to take the top role at Tinder as well, in a leadership shift that shows the company's attempts to meet changing dating trends for a younger generation of users. How To Not Fall In Love With Ai-powered Romance Scammers While Gen Z struggles with "ghosting" in dating, they also struggle to meet important life milestones like marriage. In the dating world, Gen Zers have access to more potential partners than perhaps any other generation before them. Yet, at the same time, this age group, now between 13-28 years old, is getting married years after their Baby Boomer grandparents did, swiping through potential partners, and going out on dates with multiple people only to face higher rates of article source: Tinder's new head pushes company to move away from 'hookup' reputation and rebrand for Gen Z users
