#7 Social Media

How Dating Apps Are Benefiting Off the Pandemic

    Social media has played a huge part in getting through the pandemic for the last year or so. From the rise of TikTok and new features added to existing social media apps, the influx of social media does not plan to slow down soon since recent events. Various apps such as Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, and new apps like Clubhouse and Houseparty have kept people entertained through this pandemic. Even with half the world opening back up completely and various vaccines have rolled out, people still look for social media as a safe space. The apps that also include dating. Now dating apps have really utilized the pandemic to create buzz. 

    

    The two most popular dating apps Tinder and Bumble have shown incredible success during the pandemic. People from all over the world have used these apps once or twice through the pandemic. To understand the rise of dating apps like Tinder and Bumble, you must know how they work. Tinder Tinder is an American geosocial networking and online dating application that allows users to anonymously swipe to like or dislike other profiles based on their photos, a small bio, and common interests. Once two users have "matched", they can exchange messages. Tinder initial release was in 2012 but has increased with popularity in recent years starting from 2015. Using Facebook, Tinder is able to build a user profile with photos that have already been uploaded. Basic information is gathered and the users' social graph is analyzed. Candidates who are most likely to be compatible based on geographical location, a number of mutual friends and common interests are streamed into a list of matches. Based on the results of potential candidates, the app allows the user to anonymously like another user by swiping right or pass by swiping left on them. If two users like each other it then results in a "match" and they are able to chat within the app. Chatting on Tinder is only available between two users that have swiped right on one another's photos. The selections a user makes are not known to other users unless two individuals swipe right on each other's profiles (Tinder Wiki). The success of Tinder largely came from young adults looking for love or generally to have someone to communicate with during this difficult time. Bumble is exactly the same way. 

    Bumble founded in 2014 allows users In matches between a man and a woman, the woman must initiate the conversation of their matches or the matches disappear within 24 hours. BFF mode uses the same swipe right or left platform as the app's dating mode and requires that a conversation is started within 24 hours of matching with a potential friend. Conversations started with potential friends are color-coded as green as opposed to yellow for dates. As the feature was rolled out, Bumble also announced that it would eventually release a dual-profile feature allowing users to curate a profile for dating or friendship (Bumble Wiki).Critics and users see Bumble as feminist Tinder.  It is due to being specifically dedicated to women users because it allows them to be in control. 

    Now different levels of popularity vary greatly between two dating apps. Typically more older adults used Bumble and it was treated more sophisticated than Tinder because the limit of features was. Tinder most active users range from 18-22 targeting mostly college students. Since these dating apps feature users of young demographic, the users utilize these apps through connecting with people during the pandemic when they could not have human interactions.  Tinder and Bumble was there to engage the younger demographic when in person connections cannot be obtained. Dating apps benefiting off the pandemic can have positive and negative effects as well. The upside is people were introduced to people all over the world to get to know someone on a personal level and build a strong connection through the pandemic and meet various people for overall experience. The takeaway from that is people could find life-long and lasting relationships and friendships. The downside is that it opens a world to the dangers of catfishing and deceit. Whereas more people were at risk of meeting someone that was not who they said they were in the long run. It also could give deceit people an opportunity to wreak havoc on innocent people for money or among other things. Also could lead to major problems resulting in kidnapping or death. Overall, these dating apps have benefited well off the pandemic even it though has positive and negative effects.