INSAUGA - Oct 22 - Spark, a dating app that launched in Canada last summer, is launching the 'Change My Mind' feature that enables singles to upload a 20-second video stating their opinion on a popularly divisive topic, and other users can respond with a video of their own. One of Spark's recent surveys found 82% of Canadian singles said they are more attracted to people with passionate opinions. The same survey found 70% of respondents said they enjoy debating light-hearted topics with a date, while 73% consider debating with someone to be a form of flirting.
Canadian Dating App Spark Encourages Singles to Debate
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Facebook Dating Launches in Europe After 9-month+ Delay Over Privacy Concerns
TECH CRUNCH - Oct 21 - From today, European Facebook users can opt into Facebook Dating by creating a profile at facebook.com/dating. Among the dating product's main features are the ability to share Stories on users' profile; a Secret Crush feature that let people select up to nine of their Facebook friends or Instagram followers who they'd like to date (without them knowing unless they also add them - triggering a match notification); the ability to see people with similar interests; and a video chat feature called Virtual Dates. Since the launch of Facebook's dating product in 20 countries around the world - including the U.S. and a number of markets in Asia and LatAm - the company says ~1.5B matches have been "created".
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Ethnicity Filters on Dating Apps Raise Questions About Romantic Discrimination
MANCUNIAN MATTERS - Oct 21 - After Black Lives Matter protests shook cities across the world, Grindr opted to remove its 'ethnicity filter', sparking a major debate about romantic discrimination in the digital age. However, many have also expressed opposition to the update, stating that apps should respect the 'preferences' of individual users. Other dating sites were dragged into the mix. Hinge and OkCupid have said that they have opted to continue giving users the option to filter by ethnicity. Match Group argued in a statement by spokesperson Justine Sacco, "In many cases we've been asked to create filters for minorities that would otherwise not find each other."
by Jacklin Kwan
See full article at Mancunian Matters
See the top news on Grindr See the top news on OkCupid
See the top news on Match Group See the top news on Hinge
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Grindr Features Failing to Protect Users From Sexual Predators
ABC - Oct 21 - LGBT Australians have criticized Grindr for allowing predators to easily create new profiles, despite reporting them for harassment or assault. Grindr users only need an email address to create a new profile and no other verification information, like a mobile phone number, is necessary. Unlike other dating apps such as Tinder, Grindr users don't opt-in by swiping on a profile and agreeing to message with someone. That means anyone can message anyone on the app. Grindr also limits the number of times a person can block someone on the app. Users can only block ten profiles per day; unlimited blocking is only available to people who pay for Grindr's premium version.
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Bumble's Emoji Reaction Feature Makes Talking to Matches Easier
ELITE DAILY - Oct 21 - Bumble users can now make the first move by sending an emoji. The emoji will only be shared if the two people match, and there's no need to add a message. There are nine emoji options to choose from, including the heart-eye smiley face, the "see no evil" monkey, and a pair of clapping hands. The emoji feature could serve as a low-pressure means to to kicking off a conversation.
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The CEO of Hinge Reveals How to Improve Company Culture and Prevent Burnout
BUSINESS INSIDER - Oct 21 - For Hinge founder and CEO Justin McLeod, the pandemic has brought with it a set of unique challenges and stressors. Hinge transitioned its employees to working from home in March. Since then, its employees reported feeling more stressed and burned out. McLeod said that the company has conducted several employee engagement surveys. Using the data, they're able to distill the biggest concerns that need to be addressed, and develop an action plan. But data can't tell you everything. You also need to regularly communicate with your employees when you have face time. McLeod begins his meetings with a brief employee check-in. The engagement surveys helped Hinge realize that workers were burning out. So the company introduced initiatives like "Unplug Fridays," which allowed Hinge employees to work four days every other week in the summer. They also implemented "No Meeting Tuesdays" to prevent employees from feeling constantly stuck in virtual meetings.
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Match Not Seeing 'Much of an Impact' From Facebook as Company Invests in Video
DALLAS BUSINESS JOURNAL - Oct 21 - "While we're watching to see what Facebook does do, it doesn't actually change much of our strategy," says CEO Shar Dubey. The company is investing in video. "I have personally been a huge believer in the power of video in sort of bridging the gap between online messaging and then the first time you actually go on a date with someone," Dubey said.
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SeekingArrangemet Survey: Monogamy Losing Popularity
TORONTO SUN - Oct 20 - SeekingArrangement says it has 10M active members in North America, 8M of those being potential Sugar Babies and 2M being Sugar Daddies (and Mommas). In the past, Brandon Wade, the head of SeekingArrangment, has said the platform does nothing more than bring out into the open the role money plays in mating. The site's survey found out that 66% of respondents said they were open to their partners exploring sexual companionship outside of the primary relationship. In Canada, the statistics are that 4% and 5% have taken part in some form of non-monogamy. However, polls of younger Canadians (and younger people in the U.S.) suggest that the figures are much higher, likely around 10%. Still, a 2018 poll found 96% of Canadians describe their relationship as monogamous; 4% in relationships said theirs was open.
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Q&A With CEO of Wingman Dating App
KATU - Oct 21 - Tina Wilson, CEO of dating app Wingman, talks about her dating app where users' friends and family write the profile and pick dates for them.
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Bumble Survey Findings Show a Shift Towards 'Slow Dating'
TIMES OF INDIA - Oct 21 - Bumble's recent survey shows that 70% of Bumble users in India claim there is a change in their behaviour and attitude towards dating as compared to before the pandemic. 81% claim they are more open to taking their time getting to know someone. 78% of single Indians are talking for a longer period, and having better quality chats, using Voice Calls and Video chat features in the app. People are spending ~20 mins on average on a video chat or voice call on Bumble in India.
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The Round, an Austin-based App, Takes Speed Dating Virtual
STATESMAN - Oct 21 - Austin entrepreneur Zachary Casler estimates that dating app users spend ~10 hours a week swiping away looking for matches. But when it comes to his company's app, The Round, Casler is hoping users will spend just a few minutes a day. His app is designed to get users straight to a date. Casler, who serves as CEO, co-founded the company with Brian Atwood, who is CTO. The company has a team of 10 employees. Casler previously led Dindr, a food-focused dating app that will set up dinner and a date with a similar technology concept. However, Tinder sent the app a cease-and-desist letter because of the name similarity in 2018. Casler pivoted, founding The Round in July 2018. The app mirrors speed dating. At 2PM each day, users can set their preferences for where in Austin and what time they would like to go on a date, and look through a list of 5-15 profiles of people who chose the same preference. When a match is made, the app suggests date options. The Round raised $550K to date prior to its launch. It also is beginning another funding round, with the goal of raising $2M - $3M.
by Kara Carlson
See full article at Statesman
This post also appears on InternetDatingInvestments.com
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Online Daters Are More Likely to Catch an STI
DAILY MAIL - Oct 21 - People using dating apps to 'hook up' are more likely to have an sexually transmitted infection and not use protection than those who meet in other ways, a study has found. A team from the Public Health Agency of Sweden surveyed ~14,500 men and women aged 16 to 84 about their sexual behaviour, online dating and health. 11% of men said they'd used the Internet to meet sexual partners, compared to 7% of women.
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Indian Dating App Aisle Unveils 'Rooms'
BUSINESSWORLD - Oct 20 - Aisle is launching Rooms, a new live streaming feature where users can interact-before-matching. Once a host has created a Room, any numbers of users can join and wait for their turn for an audio conversation. All conversations that take place within a Room are broadcasted and can be listened to by any Aisle user. Each conversation between a host and a guest lasts for 5 minutes – after that, the host can either choose to match or to pass. Both parties are also given the option to end the conversation at any time with the 'Pass' button. Rooms will be rolled out to the entire user base in Q1 2021.
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Whitney Wolfe Herd Made It to the Forbes' "Richest Self Made Women" List
FORBES - Oct 20 - In its sixth annual list, Forbes is shining a spotlight on the 100 richest self-made entrepreneurs, executives and entertainers in the U.S. Whitney Wolfe Herd, CEO of Bumble is #39. Founded in 2014, the $162M (2018 revenues) app is seeking a potential IPO for early 2021.
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Match Group Changes Tinder's Safety Policies
ABC - Oct 19 - Match Group will change a number of its safety policies following the release of a Four Corners and triple j Hack investigation last week. Match Group said it has updated reporting functions within their apps so that users receive a response and are directed to support services. The company did not say if they have overhauled Tinder's problematic unmatch function, despite the investigation revealing that predators are using the tool to erase evidence and avoid accountability. Match Group assured users that the company is able to retrieve messages if an abusive user unmatches their victim. Just before the triple j Hack and Four Corners investigation was due to be aired, Match Group appointed a former police investigator who focused on sexual assault - Tracey Breeden - as the company's Head of Safety to review the company's policies.
by Avani Dias, Ange McCormack & Ali Russell
See full article at ABC
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