The main factors are the penetration of the internet and the integration of technologies into everyday life. The growth of these indicators leads to increased demand for smartphones, which serve as a platform for the rapid development of the dating industry.

As of January 2021, the top 5 most popular dating apps in the world included the following market players: Tinder, Badoo, Bumble, happn, and Hinge. The ranking was based on the number of app downloads.

In Ukraine, the same platforms are in demand, but local players are gradually emerging. Several years ago, the media reported on a new Tinder for Christians — the Eden app. It was created by Ukrainians and indeed resembles Tinder and Badoo in its functionality. Another app, Kyiv Date, was announced quite recently. The name clearly suggests to users that the platform is oriented towards residents of the capital, but this is not the case. The app is available throughout Ukraine.

The Covid-19 pandemic opened up new opportunities for significant growth in the dating market globally, as society was forced to abandon in-person interactions. As a result, the practicality of using dating apps for online connections became evident even to those who had previously resisted it.

However, it’s important to understand that it’s not just the younger generation that saw increased engagement. This is part of a global trend towards more online users among Gen X and Baby Boomers. For instance, in the United States, the number of regular social media users aged 50+ also increased. Explaining this shift isn’t difficult: amidst the pandemic and self-isolation measures, members of these generations became more active in adopting and using digital services to maintain connections with loved ones and seek new relationships, thus mitigating feelings of loneliness.

A report from the dating app S’more revealed that among American users of dating services, compatibility and chemistry have become the most important factors in partner search, whereas physical attraction and location were previously prioritized. Essentially, we are witnessing how Covid-19, alongside other trends like body positivity and self-care, has altered our perception of the dating experience. People are increasingly inclined towards seeking a deeper connection that is not superficial, avoiding retouched photos and hypersexualization. This sounds promising, but as is often the case, there is a stumbling block on this path: data privacy and security concerns.

Like many other technology-related industries, the dating market has faced significant security challenges. Various studies in recent years have revealed troubling statistics regarding the incidents of violence experienced by women and men through online dating.

Journalistic investigations have also shed light on these issues. One notable report came from the American non-profit organization ProPublica and a team of investigative journalists from Columbia University. The numbers speak for themselves: more than a third of women reported experiencing sexual violence after meeting someone through a dating app, with half of them being raped. Many also noted that their attempts to report such incidents often received inadequate attention or no response at all. Investigations into the root of the problem have identified moderation systems as a critical issue, where small teams are often overwhelmed with hundreds of requests of varying types daily.

These findings underscore the urgent need for improved safety measures and better moderation practices within dating platforms to protect users from harm.

This is just a glimpse into one of the acute safety issues. The situation with racial discrimination, as well as discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, is no better. There are also ongoing problems with fraud and other abuses that haven’t disappeared. Indeed, the description above might discourage someone from picking up their smartphone and registering on another dating app. However, it’s not all bleak; there have been positive developments.

For instance, as early as 2019, Match Group, which owns Tinder, OkCupid, PlentyofFish, and Hinge, stated that they did not have unified procedures for responding to client complaints about sexual violence. By the following year, however, the brand partnered with RAINN, an organization combating sexual violence, to conduct extensive analysis of such claims, moderation practices, and decision-making to effectively respond on dating platforms.

Moreover, recently this same brand announced a collaboration with law enforcement to implement a new system for reporting sexual harassment in Australia. It’s possible that during the project’s implementation, Match Group will begin using artificial intelligence (AI) to alert users about potential offenders. There is no doubt that in the future, innovative solutions from industry leaders will enable critical steps toward enhancing user safety, not only in this regard but across the board.

It’s not difficult to imagine that with the advancement of technology worldwide, users will expect new solutions from dating platforms, and key industry players will innovate to retain and grow their audiences.

For example, many brands didn’t sit idly during the start of the pandemic and demonstrated genuine concern for their users. Tinder responded to the epidemic by making its “Passport” feature free for users worldwide, allowing them to communicate without restrictions based on geolocation. Similarly, the Canadian app Plenty of Fish introduced a live streaming option in specific regions, enabling potential partners to see each other in real-time. There are numerous such examples, but these changes can hardly be considered technological breakthroughs. The real game-changer comes when we talk about the implementation of artificial intelligence.

In the aforementioned Match Group, there’s a chatbot named Lara that can analyze 50 personal characteristics of users through dialogue and suggest potential partners based on reliable data. Another company, Badoo, uses AI for facial recognition to enhance matching chances. Essentially, most platforms are already beginning to utilize AI to refine the matchmaking process. This represents the future. Eventually, AI-based dating platforms will analyze minute details about users, including information from social media and online sources in general. This means we won’t need to spend days swiping and studying profiles; this process will take mere hours.

In summary, the integration of artificial intelligence into dating platforms holds the promise of significantly improving user experiences by making matches more accurate and efficient, potentially transforming how we approach online dating in the years to come.

The Covid-19 pandemic has pushed society towards online dating worldwide. However, real growth is still ahead. At the same time, players should remember that as the audience grows, so does the number of security-related issues. It remains hopeful that technology will come to our aid, and its effective use will not only significantly increase our chances of finding a match but also make the process of searching for a partner in any type of relationship more comfortable and, most importantly, safer.