Kissing Is on the Decline

Posted on August 18, 2026
kiss

THE GUARDIAN – Romantic kissing is on the decline, particularly among younger adults. A YouGov survey found that more than a third of British adults are kissing romantically less often than five years ago. One in five hasn’t been kissed in more than a year, and 27% believe kissing is becoming less common. Among 18- to 24-year-olds, a third said they had avoided a kiss because they lacked confidence. Researchers point to digital communication, declining nightlife and shared social spaces, and growing self-consciousness around intimacy as possible factors behind the trend.

See full article at The Guardian

Reminder: LTR Edition 53 Happening This Wednesday, August 19th

Posted on August 18, 2026

OPW – If you’re interested in selling your dating company, this is an LTR you won’t want to miss. Join us tomorrow (Wednesday, August 19 at 12 PM New York time) for the 53rd edition of LTR, the online conference for leaders of dating and social businesses.

Bill Shafton, former Head of Legal at Grindr for nine years, will discuss how dating companies can prepare for M&A and what leaders should consider before entering the process.

And if payment processing is a priority for your business, payments expert Paul Larsen will cover the latest trends, challenges and solutions in payment processing.

Two highly practical sessions. RSVP here. See you tomorrow at LTR 53.

This LTR is kindly sponsored by HubPeople.ai, LeadThink and Courtland Brooks.

A conference scene featuring two speakers, Bill Shafton and Paul Larsen. Bill Shafton is identified as a former Chief Legal Officer and growth-stage legal adviser. Paul Larsen is noted as a payment processing expert. The background shows an audience engaged in the event.

Platonic Co-Parenting Apps Report User Growth

Posted on August 17, 2026
Modamily

NEW YORK POST – Platforms that connect people seeking to have and raise children together without a romantic relationship are reporting user growth. Modamily grew from 100K users in January to ~150K by August, while CoParents.com reported a 25% increase this year to 160K members worldwide. Users cite biological timelines, career demands, financial considerations, and negative experiences with divorce as reasons for choosing platonic co-parenting. Modamily founder Ivan Fatovic said the concept has become more widely accepted since he launched the platform 15 years ago.

See full article at New York Post

Dating Apps Rework Core Features as Users Lose Interest

Posted on August 17, 2026
Tinder Chemistry

THE GUARDIAN – Bumble has removed its requirement for women to initiate conversations and is preparing to replace swiping. The company is developing an AI matchmaking assistant called Bee, while Tinder is testing its AI-powered Chemistry system and Grindr is becoming an “AI-first” platform. Startups including Fate are also replacing profile browsing with AI-led matching. Researchers argue that AI may not address users’ underlying concerns about poor matches, monetization practices, privacy and the growing use of AI communication. They suggest that better moderation, clearer policies and greater user control could be more effective than adding AI to the existing dating-app model.

See full article at The Guardian

Dating Apps Shift From Swiping to Curated Matches and Events

Posted on August 17, 2026
Tinder Events

FORTUNE – Dating apps are rethinking swiping as declining user numbers and frustration among Gen Z put pressure on the established model. Match Group’s paying users fell 6% to 13.3M, Tinder’s MAU dropped 7%, and Bumble’s paying users declined 16.4% to 3.2M. Researchers argue that swiping keeps users engaged but often produces burnout, unanswered messages, and conversations that never become dates. Companies are therefore focusing on fewer, more relevant matches and offline experiences. Bumble is testing Plans, an app for curated events, while Tinder expects to expand its Events feature from 10 cities to 75 by the end of 2026. Tinder said 71% of eligible users aged 18 to 24 used Events during its LA pilot, with more than half returning the following week.

See full article at Fortune

Wedknott Acquires Majority Stake in Aurezia Events

Posted on August 14, 2026
WedKnott

DNA – Indian matchmaking platform Wedknott has acquired a majority stake in wedding planner Aurezia Events. The deal allows Wedknott to support families from matchmaking through wedding planning. India celebrates ~10M weddings a year, an economy estimated at $130B (Rs 11 lakh crore) annually.

See full article at DNA

Bumble Ends Its Women-First Messaging Rule

Posted on August 12, 2026
Bumble logo

TECH CRUNCH – Bumble has ended its women-message-first rule, a major shift from the principle on which it built its brand in 2014. Either person can now start a conversation, and matches have 72 hours to respond instead of 24. CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd described the update as an evolution rather than a retreat from the company’s original mission. The company said 66% of women surveyed preferred men to message first. Bumble began relaxing the rule in 2024 with Opening Moves, a feature that allowed women to set a question on their profile that a man could answer. The latest change comes as the company tries to revive its struggling business.

See full article at Tech Crunch

Matrimony.com Q1 Revenue Rises 13% as Profit More Than Doubles

Posted on August 12, 2026
Matrimony.com

SCANX – Matrimony.com announced strong Q1FY27 results, with revenue rising 13.2% to ₹130.5 crore ($13.7M). Net profit more than doubled to ₹19.1 crore ($2M), up 127.5% YOY. The company also added 272K paid subscriptions.

See full article at ScanX

China Cracks Down on Flash Marriage Scams Targeting Single Men

Posted on August 12, 2026
Chinese bride

BBC – China is cracking down on “flash marriage” scams in which matchmaking agencies target single men with promises of quickly finding a wife. Victims have paid large agency fees and bride prices, only for their new wives to disappear or be exposed as having concealed major personal and financial information. The scams exploit China’s gender imbalance and shortage of potential partners, particularly in rural areas. Authorities investigated cases involving more than 1,500 people between January 2024 and March 2025, but prosecutions and recovering victims’ money remain difficult.

See full article at BBC

Hinge Releases First Audiobook Featuring Real-Life Love Stories

Posted on August 11, 2026
Hinge Audiobooks

MASHABLE – Hinge has released its first audiobook as part of its No Ordinary Love campaign. Five authors wrote and narrated stories about real couples who met on Hinge, with the couples adding their own epilogues. The audiobook is available on Spotify, Apple Audiobooks, Libro.fm, Libby, Barnes & Noble Audiobooks, and Substack. Written versions are also available on Substack.

See full article at Mashable