These Privacy-Conscious Gay Dating Apps Want to Dethrone Grindr

Posted on May 25, 2026
Streakr icon

WIRED – New gay dating apps are entering the market with a stronger focus on privacy, niche communities, and alternative ownership models. MeetMarket, launched in March, uses a decentralised system where user data is stored on devices rather than company servers. The platform reached ~12K sign-ups within 48 hours and 60K users overall, with memberships priced at €12 per month. Meanwhile, Toronto-based developer Justin Finnegan launched Chunkr, a community-focused app aimed at the bear community, while also developing a second platform called Rush. Another app, Streakr, launched recently for both gay and straight daters.

See full article at Wired

Dateability Expands as Niche Dating Apps Gain Momentum

Posted on May 25, 2026
Logo of Dateability

YAHOO! CREATORS – Dateability, a dating app created for people with disabilities and chronic illnesses, has expanded tenfold across three continents over the past year and recently celebrated its first wedding between two users who met on the platform. The app was founded by sisters Jacqueline and Alexa Child after Jacqueline experienced discrimination and rejection on mainstream dating apps. Dateability removes the need for users to disclose disabilities later in conversations by building the platform specifically around the disabled and chronically ill community. The founders said the app now serves hundreds of thousands of users, with ~7-10% identifying as non-disabled. 

See full article at Yahoo! Creators

Indian Dating App CEO Sparks Debate Over Marriage and Divorce

Posted on May 25, 2026
indian wedding

NDTV – Jasveer Singh, CEO of Knot Dating, sparked debate after questioning whether India’s low divorce rates should automatically be viewed as a sign of healthy relationships. In a viral social media post, Singh argued that many unhappy marriages continue because of social pressure, stigma around divorce and expectations to “adjust” despite emotional exhaustion.

See full article at NDTV

Study Finds AI Can Now Pass as Human in Most Online Conversations

Posted on May 25, 2026
AI Can Now Pass as Human

NASHA NIVA – A new study found that modern AI models can now convincingly imitate human conversation, often better than real people. In a Turing-style test, participants identified AI as human 73% of the time when the chatbot was given a realistic online persona using slang and casual conversation styles. Researchers found that people relied mostly on intuition, humour and emotional tone rather than logic or factual tests to judge authenticity. Even in longer 15-minute conversations, newer AI models still passed as human in most cases.

See full article at Nasha Niva

When Privacy Policies Don’t Match Reality: Lessons From the FTC’s OkCupid Settlement

Posted on May 22, 2026
Close-up of the Federal Trade Commission sign and emblem on a textured wall.

LEXOLOGY – The FTC settled with OkCupid over allegations that the dating app shared millions of user photos and personal data with AI company Clarifai in ways not disclosed in its privacy policy. According to the complaint, nearly three million user photos, along with demographic and location data, were shared even though Clarifai was not listed as a service provider or business partner.

Key takeaways for businesses:

  • Know what your privacy policy actually says
  • Ensure your practices align with your policy
  • Update policies as your business evolves
  • Formalize data-sharing arrangements

See full article at Lexology

Breeze Launches Group IRL Dates

Posted on May 22, 2026
Breeze Group dates

LINKEDIN – Breeze has launched Group Dates in London, marking the first time the platform has expanded beyond one-to-one dating. The format brings together up to eight singles at curated venues, with no in-app chatting before the event. The concept is built around a simple idea: people often show their real personalities more naturally in group settings.

See full article at LinkedIn

Met Through Friends Launches on the West Coast

Posted on May 22, 2026
Met Through Friends screenshot

LINKEDIN – Met Through Friends has expanded its Plus-One Parties to Los Angeles and San Francisco, bringing the company’s offline dating event format to five cities. The events focus on singles attending with friends instead of using app-based matching. The company said the expansion reflects growing interest in offline social events and alternatives to traditional dating apps.

See full article at LinkedIn

Tinder Hosts One of Its First Offline Dating Events With Pickleball Meetup

Posted on May 20, 2026
pickleball

BLOOMBERG – Tinder is expanding into offline social events as part of a broader redesign of the platform. The company recently launched live events in Los Angeles, including pickleball meetups, aimed at helping users connect in person. Tinder is also introducing group dating features and AI-powered updates as it shifts toward more interactive and real-world dating experiences.

See full article at Bloomberg

Hinge Expands “One More Hour” Initiative to France

Posted on May 20, 2026
Hinge One More Hour

HINGE – Hinge is expanding its “One More Hour” social initiative to France, funding local community groups and offline social events aimed at helping young adults connect in person. The programme supports clubs, meetups, and recurring social spaces, with Hinge allocating ~$150,000–$200,000 to French organisations as part of a wider $1.5M global fund. The expansion comes as 62% of Gen Z in France report experiencing loneliness, while 65% say they want more in-person connections. Hinge will also bring its “Assemble” community event series to Marseille later this month.

See full article at Hinge website