If youâre swiping on dating apps for hours, youâre not alone â and a new lawsuit claims itâs by design.
Dating apps such as Tinder and Hinge are intentionally addictive, a class-action lawsuit filed in federal court in California on Valentineâs Day claims.
Hidden algorithms push users to stay on the apps and âgamify datingâ â counterintuitive to the appsâ intended purpose to help people find connections and form relationships, six plaintiffs contend in the lawsuit.
âThe truth is the apps are designed to be addictive,â according to the filing. âMatchâs business model depends on generating returns through the monopolization of usersâ attention, and Match has guaranteed its market success by fomenting dating app addiction that drives expensive subscriptions and perpetual use.â
Match Group â which owns platforms including Tinder, Match.com, OkCupid, Hinge, and Plenty of Fish â called the lawsuit âridiculousâ and meritless.
âOur business model is not based on advertising or engagement metrics. We actively strive to get people on dates every day and off our apps. Anyone who states anything else doesnât understand the purpose and mission of our entire industry,â the company said in a statement to multiple news outlets.
Notably, the lawsuit takes aim at Hingeâs âdesigned to be deletedâ tagline. The suit calls that language âfalse advertising,â claiming stakeholders havenât designed the app to be deleted at all. It also takes issue with the platformsâ premium versions, which are among the companyâs primary source of revenue.
âThe lawsuit is a bit absurd, if Iâm honest,â psychologist and relationship coach Jo Hemmings told The Washington Post, adding that âresponsibility lies in the hands of the user,â not the apps or developers.
âLike any app, itâs a business, itâs there to make money,â Hemmings said, adding that this is standard business practice for attracting and keeping users.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for people who have used paid versions of Tinder, Hinge, and other Match Group apps in the last four years. It also seeks added warning language about the risks of addiction and for Hinge to remove its âdesigned to be deletedâ slogan.
Alex Mitchell is your go-to expert for all things mobile. With a passion for the latest smartphones, apps, and mobile innovations, Alex provides in-depth reviews, insightful analyses, and breaking news about the ever-evolving world of mobile technology. Stay connected with Alex to navigate the fast-paced realm of mobile devices.