The ‘gamification’ of love: Why dating apps have become addictive
The ‘gamification’ of love: Why dating apps have become addictive
The ‘gamification’ of love: Why dating apps have become addictive
August 27, 2022
By Enrique Alpanrs
Summary
The expression is appropriate not only because of its ingenuity, but also because dating apps are becoming more and more like video games.
A study by Stanford University in the US found that 39% of heterosexual couples and 60% of same-sex couples meet through dating apps.
One in six singles admits to feeling addicted to the matchmaking process, according to a 2017 report from Match, the parent company of the dating apps Tinder, OKCupid, Pairs and Hinge.
"These apps have put dating through a capitalist filter and turned it into an addictive game," says Liu.
According to a report from dating app Badoo based on data from its 370 million users, a millennial will spend, on average, 90 minutes a day on it.
Bumble periodically releases messages to its users to minimize the negative impact dating apps can have on their self-esteem.
"Are dating apps making it harder to find love, given the abundance of options at our fingertips and the paralysis when it comes to choosing that causes?".
Reference
Alpañés, E. (2022, August 27). The 'gamification' of Love: Why dating apps have become addictive. EL PAÍS English Edition. Retrieved September 2, 2022, from https://english.elpais.com/society/2022-08-28/the-gamification-of-love-why-dating-apps-have-become-addictive.html