In the beginning, there was optimism that dating apps not only worked as they claimed to, but could make our lives better. Twelve years later, that spark of possibility seems to be well and truly extinguished.
The reason most often given for dating apps' decline is that their commercial imperatives have taken priority over their functionality, from pricey subscriptions to strategies for sequestering the most desirable members.
Some of the theories I've heard are vaguely conspiracist, suggesting that Hinge or Bumble is maliciously keeping you from the love of your life until you sign up for premium.
After more than a decade, dating apps are no longer just platforms where we go to meet people; they are worlds that we've learned to navigate, internalising their mission and metrics as our own.
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