Abstract

Application-based dating platforms, or “dating apps,” have become increasingly popular in the United States and worldwide. Once downloaded to your mobile phone, dating apps are intended to help users achieve efficient and meaningful relationships through features such as user profiles and compatibility algorithms. Today, three in every ten American adults have used a dating app or website. The most popular dating apps, such as Tinder and Bumble, garner millions of active monthly users. While online dating has become a common facet of American society, this Note explores the harsh reality that contemporary dating apps are designed to get users addicted and eager to pay for premium subscriptions and advanced features. This Note will investigate this issue by first analyzing the marketing claims of modern dating apps and recent lawsuits brought by consumers regarding technology addiction. Next, it will describe the habit-forming design features of contemporary dating apps, the profit incentives behind “gamified” app design, and the resulting consumer harms. Finally, this Note will provide several state policy recommendations by examining existing laws addressing online dating safety as well as current barriers to legislative enactment. It will conclude with three recommendations for future state legislation to address the addictive features of dating app platforms, including the provision of accessible safety warnings, increased mandatory disclosures, and improved procedural safeguards.

Link to Full Note:

Swiping with Consequences: Modern Dating App Addiction and State Policy Recommendations