many dating apps are predatory

[1-14] all links for further reading are listed in the right-hand column

in the early days of online dating, there were a lot of free options, and for the most part, sites and early apps only knew what you entered yourself.

now, almost every app has a paid version. they're exploiting the fact that (generally) the more we pay for something, the more we believe it must be worth what we pay. (even though whether they're worth it is very much up for debate.)

dating apps can also get a disturbing amount of data from their users, and generally, you have no control over what they do with it.

  1. Dating apps: is it worth paying a premium to find love? https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/apr/24/dating-apps-premium-find-love-over-30

  2. https://money.com/best-dating-apps-sites-prices/

  3. https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/9/19/17856860/tinder-plus-gold-bumble-boost-okcupid-a-list-dating-apps-premium

  4. https://healthyframework.com/dating/cost/all/

  5. https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20171006-the-psychology-behind-spending-big

  6. https://observer.com/2016/08/how-to-price-anything-the-psychology-of-why-well-pay-what-we-pay/

  7. https://www.businessinsider.com/sc/why-we-like-expensive-things-2018-12

  8. https://www.businessinsider.com/people-dont-value-free-stuff-2017-6

  9. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2020/02/06/the-virtues-and-downsides-of-online-dating/

  10. https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2020/01/21/grindr-tinder-privacy-how-keep-dating-apps-selling-your-data/4479534002/

  11. https://www.vox.com/recode/2020/2/14/21137096/how-tinder-matches-work-algorithm-grindr-bumble-hinge-algorithms

  12. https://slate.com/technology/2021/03/dating-apps-data-brokers-transparency-government.html

  13. https://www.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/ka7ml3/dating_app_sold_my_data/

  14. https://www.npr.org/2020/01/14/796427696/study-grindr-tindr-and-other-apps-share-sensitive-personal-data-with-advertisers

  15. https://queercafe.net/flagging.htm

  16. https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/lgbt-poverty-us/

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[15-x]

queer people are more likely to use dating apps. it's harder for us to find each other in the offline world.

queer people are also more likely to face financial hardship than their straight counterparts, and for trans people, dating apps can be a real minefield, if their profiles are even able to stay active.