Do you find yourself disappointed by dating apps, yet find yourself swiping right and left for hours, only to face disappointment? Many of us have found themselves stuck in this loop, and a proposed class-action lawsuit filed on Valentine’s Day alleges that dating apps, specifically those owned by Match Group, are to blame.
It claims that apps, including Tinder and Hinge, are designed to addict users and keep them in a “perpetual pay-to-play loop.”
Driving addiction
The lawsuit, filed in California district court, claims that the apps’ hidden algorithms drive users’ addiction. This is in sharp contrast to the company’s claim that its products are meant to help people find offline relationships.
According to the lawsuit, users are baited into continually upgrading their subscriptions and paying for bonus features that promise a better chance at finding love but only serve to boost the company’s profits. The apps allegedly use dopamine-manipulating techniques to gamify romance and dating, encouraging compulsive use.
As per CBS News, six plaintiffs have alleged that the apps are in violation of consumer protection and other laws.
‘Ridiculous’ lawsuit
Match Group has dismissed the lawsuit as “ridiculous” and with “zero merit”, stating that its business model is not based on advertising or engagement metrics.
The company Match Group, in a statement to the CBS Moneywatch said that they “actively strive to get people on dates every day and off our apps. Anyone who states anything else doesn’t understand the purpose and mission of our entire industry.”
The lawsuit also accuses Match Group of using “dark patterns,” web design features meant to trick people into buying things or paying for services they didn’t intend to buy. This practice has been cracked down on by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the past — it ordered communications provider Vonage to pay customers nearly $100 million in October.
The lawsuit comes at a time when states are targeting tech companies like Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, for harming young users with addictive features on their social media apps, exacerbating mental health issues.
(With inputs from agencies)
