BUSINESSWIRE - Grindr has appointed three new executives following a record quarter. Zac Katz is now General Counsel and Head of Global Affairs, bringing experience from law, technology, and government sectors. Tristan Pineiro is the VP of Brand and Communications, with over 20 years of experience in brand building and communications. Solmaz Shariat Torbaghan has taken the role of Director of AI and Machine Learning, contributing her extensive knowledge in AI. These appointments aim to bolster Grindr's growth and enhance user experience by integrating advanced technologies.
Grindr Adds Three Key Executives on the Heels of Record Quarter
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Tinder Launches Guide for Singles in Australia to Navigate Online Dating
MEDIA WEEK - Tinder has launched School of Swipe in Australia, a feature aimed at educating users on online dating. Developed with Chanel Contos and Max Radcliffe, it focuses on building confidence, dating etiquette, safety, and handling rejection. It includes a safety syllabus and consent education, addressing users' struggles with rejection and inappropriate behavior. The initiative is part of Tinder's ongoing effort to enhance user experience and ensure safe, respectful interactions on the platform.
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Tinder Just Added a $500-a-Month Subscription
BLOOMBERG - Tinder has rolled out an ultra-premium subscription tier, charging $499 per month to access features like exclusive search and matching. The new plan, called Tinder Select, was only offered to less than 1% of Tinder users who are among the app's most active. Users will be able to access new features, such as "VIP" search, matching and conversation, that aren't currently provided with its existing paid plans. Match Group President Gary Swidler said at a Citi conference earlier this month he expects Tinder Select to only attract "a relatively tiny amount of new payers," but he said it will have a significant impact on revenue.
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TikTok Has Matchmaking Service for Staff to Play Cupid for Co-workers
THE GUARDIAN - TikTok has a channel called Meet Cute on its internal platform, ByteMoments, allowing employees to play matchmaker for their colleagues, introducing them to friends and family as potential romantic partners. Initially designed for employees in mainland China, it displays information similar to typical dating apps and lets colleagues comment on and evaluate the posts. However, some employees feel this feature is an "encroachment on personal boundaries." The service has guidelines to prevent the posting of employees' personal information and is part of a broader trend, with companies like Alibaba and Huawei offering similar services.
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Bumble Can't Dodge Biometric Class Action Over Badoo App Yet
BLOOMBERG - The US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois did not accept Bumble's plea to dismiss a class-action lawsuit over supposed violations of biometric privacy related to a verification feature in its dating app, Badoo. The court stated that further jurisdictional discovery is needed to clarify whether Bumble and its two subsidiaries, Buzz Holdings L.P. and Bumble Trading LLC, are subject to the court's jurisdiction due to uncertainties in Bumble's involvement with its subsidiaries. Kemelle Howell, a Badoo user since 2016, initiated the lawsuit in 2021, alleging that the companies violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act through its verification tool.
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Tinder Helps Singles Remove Their Old Couples Tattoos
HYPEBAE - Tinder is partnering with Sixty Ink in London from October 11-13, to help singles who have tattoos representing past relationships. The event aims to transform old couple tattoos into new artworks, allowing individuals to start fresh in their dating journey. 30% view such tattoos as a romantic gesture, despite their potential to hinder new relationships.
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Laura Matter Expands Swiss Dating App noii to LA With Matter Acquisition
NOII TIKTOK - Laura Matter, a 24-year-old entrepreneur from Switzerland, has acquired Matter, a LA-based dating app. This strategic acquisition allows noii, a video-first dating app co-founded by Matter, to integrate Matter's audio-first features and benefit from its AI expertise. Matter, which gained significant traction since its 2020 launch in LA, will now be part of noii's global offering. Interestingly, Laura Matter shares her surname with the brand she acquired, a serendipitous coincidence that adds a touch of whimsy to this business move.
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Matthew McNeill Love, Co-founder & COO of Thursday, Shares Insight Into Company's Quiet Phase
LINKEDIN - Matthew McNeill Love, the COO and Co-founder of dating app Thursday, recently opened up about why the company has been less active on social media. Despite a challenging year marked by hesitant venture capital and economic downturn, Thursday decided to go inward, focusing on improving its product rather than scaling. Last February, the team concentrated on strengthening their brand, refining user experience, and setting a clearer path to scalability, all part of their next phase dubbed "Thursday 2.0." During this time, the app reached a significant milestone of 1M downloads. The company also developed another singles brand with global reach, expanding its presence in markets like the US, UK, EU, Australia, and Canada. Love concluded by hinting at exciting developments in the coming months.
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The League Founder Amanda Bradford on Company's Success and $30M Acquisition by Match Group
FORBES - Amanda Bradford, founder of The League dating app, gives her first in-depth interview since selling her company to Match Group for $30M. Launched nearly a decade ago, The League aimed to serve ambitious singles and achieved one of the highest match rates in the industry. Bradford has now announced a redesign and a new national ad campaign called "Be a Goal Digger," featuring a new feature, "GoalMates," that puts goals at the forefront of dating connections. Under Bradford's direction, the app initially gained traction through a carefully curated user base, later expanding to NYC and LA. It then secured $2.3M in angel investment, leading to profitability within a year. Today, the app is used in 155 metropolitan areas globally and offers free and subscription-based memberships.
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Plenty of Fish Survey: Authenticity Wins in Modern Dating
PR NEWSWIRE - A recent Plenty of Fish survey shows that 74% of Gen Z and millennial singles value authenticity in dating, even if it's considered "cringey." The study highlights a growing comfort in being upfront about personal quirks and interests, with 73% stating that such openness is crucial in getting to know a potential partner. Bad manners are universally deemed undesirable, while being straightforward about dating intentions is now more accepted. The findings suggest a trend towards greater authenticity in dating.
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Q&A With Jessica Alderson, co-Founder of So Syncd
NASDAQ - Jessica Alderson, co-founder of dating app So Syncd, has created a dating platform focused on personality compatibility. Leaving a career in investment banking, she embarked on a journey that led her to explore different personality types and their impact on relationships. Alongside her sister, she developed So Syncd to address loneliness and offer an alternative to traditional dating methods. The platform has successfully matched thousands, with many going on to marry and start families. Alderson highlights empathy as a key leadership trait and acknowledges the importance of a strong support network.
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HubPeople.ai Launches: Build Functional Dating Apps in Just 5 Minutes
LINKEDIN - White label dating provider, HubPeople.com, has introduced HubPeople.ai, a new platform aimed at simplifying the app development process. The service allows users to build a fully functional community, discovery, or dating app from just a single text prompt. By specifying a target demographic, location, and app name, an operational app can be created in as little as 5 minutes.
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Australian Government Threatens Regulation on Dating Apps to Boost User Safety
ABC - The federal government in Australia is threatening to regulate dating apps unless they improve user safety by the middle of next year. A study by the Australian Institute of Criminology revealed that three-quarters of online daters had experienced some form of online sexual violence in the past five years. Experts highlight the need for better complaint handling and clearer communication from the apps when reports are made. The government suggests that the industry could develop technology to proactively protect users and is willing to enforce this through legislation if voluntary measures fail. Key areas for improvement include complaint handling, collaborating with law enforcement, and embedding safety features into the apps.
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The League Launches 'Goaldiggers' Campaign Targeting High Achievers"
MEDIA POST - The League, a dating app acquired by Match Group, is rolling out a new campaign called "Goaldiggers" to attract ambitious, goal-oriented individuals. The app distinguishes itself by requiring an application and integrating with LinkedIn, accepting only 20-30% of applicants to ensure a high-quality user base. The campaign aims to clarify that The League is about ambition, not elitism, and includes features like a goal-matching checklist to help users find like-minded partners. Founder Amanda Bradford emphasizes that the app aims to provide a premium experience for people who value ambition in potential partners.
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Q&A With the Founders of Dateability, the Dating App for the Disabled Community
FAST COMPANY - Denver-based sisters Jacqueline and Alexa Child launched Dateability, a dating app targeting people with disabilities and chronic illnesses. Despite having over 8,000 users, the app faces challenges in securing funding, a common issue for startups focused on the disabled community. While the app is currently pre-revenue, plans are in place to monetize via ads and a future subscription model.
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