Beyond the Swipe: Women’s Quest for Authentic Connections
Female users or those who use Bumble and Tinder, Hinge are going down, gradually reducing the use of Bumble. Women are starting to leave the Bumble app. There is what they call dating app burnout, and because of this, about 350 employees of Bumble were laid off in 2023.
Before, women needed to make the first move. Women needed to approach and say hi on the Bumble dating app, but because of the steady decline or decrease in users, Bumble changed its approach. More and more are getting bored or dissatisfied with it. There’s a feeling of burnout with dating apps. Women now prefer to join real-life activities in hopes of meeting someone more compatible there. Dating apps create this illusion that you have unlimited options, but the truth is, it’s very hard to find someone you can connect with. It seems that these dating apps are only convenient if you want to increase the number of people you meet outside the country. But if you plan to meet someone within your area, it’s no longer as effective.
It doesn’t mean there’s no success in dating apps. It’s just that millennials and Gen Z prefer meeting through traditional blind dates set up by friends or through common hobbies, like joining a sports club, going to church, attending art exhibits, and concerts, going to a bar or even joining a book club — anything that allows them to interact with more people in person. Meanwhile, men are shifting to Instagram; they prefer direct messaging. The chances of actually meeting someone on dating apps are low; you’ll likely end up in situationships until you forget the app. Some men also no longer know how to court or approach women in person — effort is confined to dating apps.
But there’s a trend among Millennials and Gen Z that they’re just tired of meeting people through dating apps. They prefer real-life meet-cutes or meeting potential dates in person at events or through introductions by friends.
In a survey by AppsFlyer, they found that within just a month, women are uninstalling dating apps, with some getting tired in just one week. Deleting these apps is seen as a rebellion against the digital dating scene. Women prefer to meet men organically at events, parties, or even meet potential partners at concerts or church. Endless swiping and situationships are exhausting.
Despite the many options on online dating apps, quality conversations are rare. One observation from an interviewee is that most people they meet on dating apps are only into hookups or short-term dating, and they don’t feel authentic or like they’ll find a true lifetime partner there, especially for women whose goal is marriage. To find a suitable partner, you might have to date more than 60 to 100 people, and not everyone has the time and energy for that. It often just leads to endless chatting without actually going on a date.
Men face issues with many fake accounts or AI profiles. In dating apps, it’s easy to ghost someone or leave the conversation hanging, making it difficult to see them as real people compared to meeting them in person.
Dating apps were crucial during the pandemic, but attitudes are changing now that it’s over. This presents a challenge for dating app creators on how to retain women and keep them interested. There’s also concern that some dating apps use AI or chatbots to reply to messages, which undermines authenticity.
There’s a growing belief that the era of dating apps is over because they feel artificial, removing the fun and human elements of crushes, letting feelings develop, and the actual dating process. It feels too much like window shopping and speed dating. Traditional ways of meeting people are still preferred because on dating apps, you can spend money without seeing much results. It’s also difficult to date now due to economic volatility, and many prefer to remain single until they’re financially stable enough for a relationship.