Study Shows Most Seniors View Sexual Intimacy as Essential to Relationships

Posted on March 11, 2026
An older couple sharing an affectionate moment together

JPOST – A University of New Hampshire study published in the Journal of Sex Research found that 97% of single adults aged 60-83 consider sexual intimacy essential in a relationship, and 72% would not pursue a partner if sex is not part of the relationship. The study interviewed 100 online daters (50 women and 50 men) and found that participants were seeking both companionship and passion, often adapting to physical changes through medical support or redefining intimacy. Broader data shows more than half of Americans aged 65-74 remain sexually active, while over a quarter of those aged 75-85 report the same, challenging the perception that older adults are uninterested in sex.

See full article at JPost

HubPeople Launches “Find My Dating App” Traffic Optimisation Funnel for Dating Affiliates

Posted on March 11, 2026
HubPeople Find My Dating App

LINKEDIN – HubPeople has launched a new product called Find My Dating App, a traffic optimisation funnel designed to improve conversions in the online dating affiliate space. The system routes users through a short questionnaire and then matches them with three relevant dating platforms based on their preferences. According to HubPeople, the tool draws from a network of ~4K dating sites across 70 niches, with access to ~100M active users. The goal is to address a common issue in dating traffic monetization, where users with different intentions – such as serious relationships, casual dating, or niche communities – are often sent to the same offer, leading to low conversion rates and higher acquisition costs. The company says the platform allows traffic partners, affiliates, and publishers to direct mixed-intent audiences to more relevant dating communities through a single link.

See full article at LinkedIn

Feeld Launches 165-question “Reflections” Tool to Improve Dating Matches

Posted on March 11, 2026
Feeld dating app

WIRED – Feeld is a dating app originally created for people interested in non-traditional relationships, including kink, polyamory, and alternative sexual communities. Launched in 2014 as 3nder, the platform has expanded rapidly, with membership growing 368% between 2021 and 2025. As the app has grown, its user base has broadened beyond its original niche, bringing in more mainstream daters. In response to this evolution, Feeld is launching a new in-app feature called Reflections, a 30-minute self-discovery survey with 165 prompts that evaluates users’ desires, boundaries, and relationship preferences. The company says the tool is intended to help users better understand their relationship styles and improve matching within the platform.

See full article at Wired

Gleeden Reaches 4 Million Users in India as Extra-marital Dating Grows

Posted on March 11, 2026
Logo of Gleeden

BUSINESS TODAY – Gleeden, a dating platform designed for extra-marital relationships, has reached 4M users in India, making the country one of its fastest-growing markets. Launched in France in 2009, the app’s Indian user base is 65% male and 35% female, with women’s participation rising 148% over the past two years. Usage is concentrated in major cities such as Bengaluru (18%), Hyderabad (17%), Delhi (11%), Mumbai (9%), and Pune (7%), though growth is also expanding into smaller cities. The platform allows women to use the service for free, which the company says helps encourage participation.

See full article at Business Today

Hinge’s Algorithm Doesn’t Judge on Attractiveness

Posted on March 10, 2026
Hinge Jackie Jantos

FINANCIAL TIMES – Since 2021, Hinge’s MAU have doubled from 4.8M to 11.8M (Sensor Tower), while Tinder went from 65M to 51M. Jackie Jantos played a pivotal role, as Hinge’s CMO for 4 years before becoming CEO in December. “Prompts” – short notes that users write on profiles to share their interests and spark conversation – and emphasis on chat over simply responding to photos boosted its success. Does the algorithm rate users’ attractiveness? “No,” Jantos says. “We are trying to find who you might like and who might like you. The algorithm has the information around the individuals who you’ve liked and it also sees signals around content that you’ve liked.” Revenue per payer on Hinge was $31.97/month in 2025. Paying users increased to 1.8M at the end of 2025. Jantos says maintaining the “free experience”, which gives users eight likes a day, was “sacred.”

See full article at Financial Times

13D Management Exits Match Group After Selling $4.7Million Stake

Posted on March 10, 2026
Logo of Match Group

THE MOTLEY FOOL – 13D Management disclosed that it sold its entire position in Match Group during Q4. The position was previously 4.5% of the fund’s AUM as of Q3, marking a significant reduction during broader fund downsizing. It’s top holding after the filing is $8.6M of Twilio (TWLO). The fund reported 16 positions post-filing, with total 13F reportable AUM of $84M. For investors, the key question is which Match Group platform will drive the next phase of growth and its ability to convert shifting dating habits into sustained payer growth.

See full article at The Motley Fool

LegacyX Unveils Vortex Dating App

Posted on March 10, 2026
Vortex dating app logo

ITBRIEF – LegacyX, a London technology company, has launched Vortex, a dating and social app combining dating with social discovery, with profile verification and matchmaking tools. Vortex prioritizes conversation and shared social experiences over rapid profile browsing and includes a feature called Deuces, which lets friends match together and meet other pairs for double dates.

See full article at ITBrief

More Women Are Dating AI Boyfriends

Posted on March 9, 2026
AI boyfriend

FORBES – More women are turning to AI “boyfriends”, chatbots that simulate empathy, remember details, and provide constant conversation, as frustration with dating apps grows. A 2023 Pew Research Center survey found that 54% of women using dating apps feel overwhelmed by the number of messages they receive, while a 2025 Tinder survey cited by Forbes reported that 94% of women say dating today is more difficult than in the past. A 2025 Journal of Consumer Research study found that interacting with AI companions can reduce loneliness in the moment. A 2026 National Institutes of Health study reported that about half of users on some AI companion platforms describe their relationship with the chatbot as romantic.

See full article at Forbes

Spencer’s Way

Posted on March 9, 2026
Match Group's Spencer Rascoff

FORTUNE – The CEO of Match Group set up an employee hotline where staff can DM him anytime: ‘No hierarchy. No filters. Just real input.’ Spencer Rascoff has broken down the barriers of command, encouraging transparency, so he asked all his employees to start DMing him with feedback, ideas, questions, or concerns. Rascoff reads every message and takes action when employees raise concerns or give valuable feedback. He recognized Match Group needed a reset, and is rebuilding trust and focus. Ideas now progress faster. Rascoff’s admiration of Gen Z’s talent is a breath of fresh air for young staffers.

See full article at Fortune

Mark Brooks: Feedback is the breakfast of champions. We all need to listen to Gen Z more intently, or risk missing (the new online dating) boat.

The Impact of AI in the Online Dating Industry

Posted on March 9, 2026
AI in online dating

BESTAIFOR.COM – Tinder’s Face Check reduced user exposure to bad actors by 60%+, according to their Oct. ’25 press release. The FTC reported U.S. romance scam losses reached $1.1B in 2023. OkCupid found that 70% of users view AI-generated profiles or messages as a violation of trust. AI enables recommendation engines. Safety tooling came second i.e. nudity filters, scam detection, identity checks. Now AI is helping users craft profiles and messages.

Does this translate to better long-term relationships. Harvard Data Science Review frames the tension: platforms optimize for behavioral signals – likes, messages, return sessions – not for relationship success. Hinge launched Prompt Feedback in Jan ’25, an AI coach that reviews your written answers to profile prompts and gives feedback. Bumble followed in Feb ’26 with Profile Guidance and Photo Feedback. OkCupid now uses OpenAI to generate new matching questions. 

Online dating has moved toward ‘scoped assist.’ Hinge’s Convo Starters, launched Dec. ’25, gives AI-generated tips tied to a specific photo or prompt the other person posted. Grindr is testing Wingman, for profile crafting and conversation starters.

– Daniele Antoniani worked for Badoo 2005-2008 and is a long term team member on the Courtland Brooks team, since 2013. 

See full article at BestAIFor.com