Are Dating Apps Just One Big Money Grab?

Are dating apps even helping people meet anymore, or have they turned into a Wild West of gamified gambling, data mining, AI profiles and algorithms, and making insecurities worst?

In this episode of Do As We Say, Not As They Did, Dr. Liz Powell and Harris O'Malley read Straight Arrow News and 404 Media's article, They Want Money, Pure and Simple: Singles Push Regulators to Crack Down on Dating App Algorithms.

Having experienced the rigamorole of online dating apps and sites, Liz and Harris explore how online dating went from a promising new way to connect with people to a pay-to-play experience. They're talking questionable dating app algorithms and how AI is trying to its hardest to take the human out of human relationships (and why it can't).

Highlights of the episode:

• Tinder's $500 monthly subscription tier

• The alarming lack of privacy on dating apps

• Why it's easier to find a swimming buddy than a lifeguard

• Video dating services in the 70s and 80s

• Remembering when the internet used to be FUN

But it's not all doom, gloom, and swiping right. Tune in for some useful insights on dealing with rejection and why creating a life you love might be just what your dating strategy needs.

Time Stamps

00:00 – Welcome to the show

01:15 – Are dating app algorithms rigged?

04:26 – Consumer complaints and class action lawsuits

06:02 – Your perfect match is just a paywall away

09:02 – The cost of trying to find love

13:24 – Premium subscriptions on Hinge and Tinder

19:42 – Data mining in dating apps

24:36 – Do dating apps want you to stay single?

26:26 – How dating apps exploit our need for connection

29:05 – We miss OkCupid!

32:58 – The gamification of dating apps

37:38 – AI dating profiles and AI algorithms

47:46 – Rejection and frustration are part of life

52:40 – Dating apps are just digital singles bars

56:38 – Paying more doesn't guarantee better matches

01:01:15 – Build a life you love before finding a partner

01:06:20 – Maybe you just need to go outside

01:15:26 – Support the show and follow Harris and Dr. Liz

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