Dear You,
Over a year ago I made a TikTok explaining hypergamy** in dating apps, and the messy secrets behind them. I was thinking about the video the other day and it made me wonder, are a lot of people still using dating apps? I know I do. The truth is males are severely disadvantaged when it comes to dating apps, and women are severely taken advantage of by a small percentage of men on dating apps, and it seems like people are finally taking notice and adjusting their usage accordingly in the United States.
**Hypergamy is the concept of seeking partners of higher status, and it has been amplified by technology and social media, leading to changes in dating behavior. Women are more selective in their choice of marriage partners than men, and they prefer marriage with partners who are culturally successful or have high potential to become culturally successful. According to a study conducted by Psychology Today, women exhibit hypergamy on dating apps by swiping right on a small percentage of men, despite claiming to want an equal partnership.
How many people are using dating apps?
According to a report by Business of Apps, the dating app market made $4.94 billion in revenue in 2022, with over 300 million people using dating apps worldwide. In the United States, there were an estimated 26.6 million smartphone dating app users in 2020, and it was forecasted that in 2023, there will be 25.7 million U.S. dating app users, which is a decrease of almost one million people, although this data is not yet confirmed.
Why are people using dating apps?
Another study conducted by YouGov, found the most common reason why people use dating apps is to find an exclusive romantic partner. In fact, 49% of adults who have ever used a dating app or site were on them to find an exclusive romantic partner . It’s unclear to me the gender split of this 49%, but assuming it is equally split, this would be surprising given the nature of these apps and some of the apps’ past marketing methods discourages the outcome of a long-term monogamous relationship. Of course, there are other reasons why people use dating apps. For example, 39% of people use dating apps just for something fun or interesting to do, while 29% of people use dating apps just to test the waters and see what the app is like to use. Surprisingly, less than a quarter of people (23%) who still use dating apps do so for casual sex. I’d be interested to know the gender split of this too.
So it seems like dating apps are on the decline after the initial hype, and the industry itself is stabilizing. I don’t think dating apps are going anywhere, but if you want my prediction, people are going to start turning back to more traditional methods for finding partners, especially as they grow older and less risk averse. To be honest, I think dating apps make things too easy, and unless one partner is great at setting boundaries and creating a challenge, dating apps are unlikely to work long-term for most people in most cases in the USA and UK. If you have any thoughts make sure to let me know in the comments and share this with your friend who has goals that don't align with what dating apps actually do.
With Love,
Laura Mai
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