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.
TECH CRUNCH – Justin McLeod, founder of Hinge, has raised $18M for his new company, Overtone. It is an AI-powered matchmaking service that will use AI and voice conversations to understand users and make a small number of carefully curated introductions, explaining why each match is a good fit. The app is backed by Match Group, FirstMark Capital, and Pace Capital. The company also announced that relationship expert Esther Perel has joined its board alongside Match Group CEO Spencer Rascoff.
OPW – Lucille McCart has joined AI matchmaking startup Overtone as Head of Communications, following nearly seven years at Bumble where she held senior communications and marketing leadership roles across Australia, APAC and globally. Overtone is a voice- and AI-powered matchmaking service focused on curated introductions rather than swiping. Announcing the move on LinkedIn, McCart highlighted the company’s mission, quoting McLeod: “Who we choose to build a life with shapes our happiness more than almost anything else. That choice is too important to be left to chance, and too personal to be left to a swipe.”
PM – Ditto, an AI-powered dating startup founded by two UC Berkeley dropouts, is expanding across U.S. college campuses with a matchmaking model that replaces swiping with AI-curated real-world dates. After users complete detailed questionnaires, the platform creates weekly matches, schedules a mutually convenient meeting, and plans the date itinerary. The company says it has facilitated ~12K dates, with 92% of participants wanting a second date, positioning itself as an alternative to traditional dating apps by using AI to handle the matching process rather than the conversation.
MIRAGE NEWS – Australian platform CheckMyDate has launched an AI-assisted dating safety tool that searches publicly available online information to help users identify potential warning signs. The service compiles information such as social profiles, professional details and potential photo matches into a single report. The launch comes amid growing concerns about AI-generated fake profiles and romance scams, which cost Australians $28.6M in reported losses in 2025.
