How online dating has changed in the last decade since Tinder launched

The launch of Tinder has catalyzed the emergence of new dating apps, such as Bumble and Her, and also brought about changes in societal attitudes towards online dating over the last ten years. For some, dating apps have made it easier and more comfortable to arrange real-world dates, given that the apps are free to use and accessible. Sociologist Jess Carbino, who has worked for Tinder and Bumble, believes that Tinder was game-changing in democratizing online dating and eroding the stigma attached to it. The mutual match system on Tinder has inspired confidence in users and helped to eliminate the age-related and socioeconomic barriers that used to exist. However, while online dating has become normalized, some users still feel overwhelmed by the number of options on dating apps, leading to burnout. Carbino suggests that people use multiple apps to increase their chances of finding a match, and she believes that the next wave of dating apps will incorporate emerging technologies to redefine the existing framework. Overall, Carbino predicts that dating in the next decade will be informed by much broader processes than simply the dating app mechanism itself.