Gen Z abandons dating apps because they are time-consuming

A young woman walks past a billboard for the dating app Tinder on February 18, 2024 in Germany - Photo: Getty

A recent survey by AppsFlyer found that 65% of dating apps are deleted within a month. And of those who uninstall the app, 90% do so within a week.

Young people turn their backs on dating apps

Morgan Anderson, a clinical psychologist and relationship coach, sees the act of deleting dating apps as a rebellion by young people against the online dating movement, which they find superficial and exhausting.

"The trend of returning to the in-person dating experience is a breath of fresh air for lonely hearts who are exhausted from constantly swiping left and right but cannot successfully connect," he said.

Dating apps have become a "way of life" since the emergence of Tinder and competitors like Bumble and Hinge, followed by a host of other online platforms aimed at attracting singles.

But these apps may no longer be worth it, some Gen Z girls say. Brianna Spinella, 24, deleted the apps when she realized all the criteria she listed were ultimately meaningless.

“These apps show anyone instead of considering the user’s criteria, and are increasingly biased towards money to the point where everything looks fake,” she said.

Another girl, Madison, doesn't necessarily feel the need to delete the apps but no longer opens them: "A lot of people chat a lot but rarely want to meet in person. They also often 'break the deal' at the last minute."

“It takes a lot of energy to meet someone I meet through an app, and most of the dates are a waste of time,” Madison confided.

Disappointment after disappointment

It’s not just women who are frustrated with dating apps. While women complain about the quality of men on these apps, men report other, equally challenging issues.

Many people say it takes weeks to get a match, and it's difficult to get a response after sending a friend request.

An early report found that 50% of female likes came from only 15% of male users on the app.

This leads some people to consider buying the premium version in hopes of getting more likes. As a result, they feel a loss of self-worth and self-esteem.

Besides young people, users from older generations are also skeptical about online dating apps.

Jimmy Thakkar, 44, deleted the app after realizing how prevalent fake and AI profiles were. He said the “genuine” profiles were hidden and only visible to those who paid for a subscription.

Jackie Pilossoph, 50, on the other hand, believes that the app developers cannot be blamed entirely: "I don't think dating apps have let people down, it's the people who use the apps that are the problem."

"There are countless people who suddenly cut off contact, ignore, or write inappropriate content on dating apps, forgetting that the other person has feelings too. It seems easier to treat others badly when you hide behind the app," he said.

"People are exhausted from feeling hurt, anxious, and not good enough when talking to other people on dating apps. It's disappointment after disappointment. People can find love on dating apps, but they pay a high price and put up with so much bad behavior," Pilossoph said.

Online dating is not the perfect option

Even dating app founders are honest that online dating isn't a perfect option. Joe Feminella, founder and CEO of First Round's On Me, says the majority of people who are serious about dating through apps don't want to chat with a bunch of people online, but rather want to meet in person.

The rise of artificial intelligence also means that fewer people will be using dating apps in the near future. Many people report that they can't tell when they're chatting with a real person and a chatbot. This makes finding true love that much harder.

Scott Avy, CEO and founder of dating app Skip, said recent advances like ChatGPT have made people less trusting of the content and quality of online conversations, which then lead to meetings and dates.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/gen-z-tu-bo-ung-dung-hen-ho-vi-ton-thoi-gian-20240219151140211.htm