HER WORLD – Coffee Meets Bagel has launched CMB 2.0, introducing AI conversation prompts, a Real Dates scheduling feature, and Singpass identity verification in Singapore. The app also expanded its AI moderation tools to detect fake profiles and inappropriate messages. Since the rollout began in June 2026, the company says messages sent with likes have increased 30%, while average profile viewing time is up 21%.
BUSINESS INSIDER – Relationship wellness startup Arya has acquired couples app Flamme, which has ~200K users. The apps will remain separate while Arya adds its AI-powered subscriptions, coaching, and e-commerce tools. The deal is Arya’s first acquisition following its recent $21M funding round and marks the start of its strategy to acquire more relationship and women’s health apps.
USA TODAY – Hily says social media, not just dating apps, is increasingly shaping how people date. In a survey of 3K U.S. daters, 2 in 5 said they feel less attractive if they aren’t going on enough dates, while about one in five said dating “average” people could hurt their social image. Hily calls this the “Dater-Spectator Effect,” arguing that curated social media content is making some people choose dates based on how they will appear online rather than on genuine compatibility. The report also found that 48% of women and 53% of men plan to reduce their social media use to lessen its influence on their dating lives.
THE NEXT WEB – AI is increasingly writing dating conversations, and dating apps aren’t stopping it. A Match Group/Kinsey Institute report found that 26% of U.S. adults and 49% of Gen Z daters have used AI for dating help, from writing messages to creating profiles. Match CEO Spencer Rascoff said there is little the company can do about off-platform AI coaching, while Hinge and Bumble have no policies banning AI-generated messages. As AI-written conversations become more common, users are raising concerns that matches may be interacting with chatbot-generated personalities rather than the people themselves.
VICE – Seeking.com has introduced a new AI fraud detection system to stop romance scammers before they reach users. The platform uses selfie verification, identity checks, and behavioural analysis, claiming it blocks more than 90% of scam accounts during signup. It will also publicly display images of blocked scammers to raise awareness and push the dating industry to improve user safety.
GEEKSPIN – Tinder will pay $60.5M to settle a class action lawsuit alleging it charged older California users more for Tinder Plus and Tinder Gold subscriptions. Although Tinder denied any wrongdoing, it agreed to settle the case in 2025, and the settlement received final court approval in June 2026. Eligible California users who paid higher prices because of their age have until 18 August 2026 to submit a claim, with payouts based on how much they spent.
DS DIGITAL SHIELD – A threat actor claims to be selling data from ~51M Badoo users on the dark web. The alleged dataset includes email addresses, names, dates of birth, phone numbers, profile details, photos, IP addresses, and membership information. The breach has not yet been independently verified, and it is unclear whether the data is new, scraped, or from previous leaks. If authentic, it could expose users to phishing, identity theft and credential-stuffing attacks. Badoo previously suffered a major breach affecting ~112M users, which was publicly disclosed in 2016.
OPW – Drawing on ~20 years of experience building dating technology, the Dating App book explores what it really takes to build, operate, and grow a successful dating business. It covers product strategy, user acquisition, monetization, trust and safety, operations, AI, and features insights from industry leaders including Markus Frind, David Vermeulen, Matthew Gain, Carsten Boeltz, Lydia Hoey, and Zackary Lewis. Whether you’re a founder, operator, investor, or product leader in the dating industry, Dating App offers a practical guide to building sustainable dating businesses, not just apps. The hardcover edition launches today (July 17).
NEW YORK POST – Hinge has introduced Friend’s Take, a feature that lets friends and family add short testimonials, photos, or videos to a user’s dating profile. Users can display up to three approved testimonials, giving potential matches a more authentic view of who they are. The feature is part of Hinge’s broader push to improve trust and appeal to younger users through more thoughtful, relationship-focused dating experiences.
