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Addicted to love: how dating apps ‘exploit’ their users | Online services that promise to find people romantic matches have been likened to gambling products designed to keep customers hooked
Online services that promise to find people romantic matches have been likened to gambling products designed to keep customers hooked
The most popular in the UK are Tinder, Bumble and Hinge, which all offer a “freemium” model of a free account with options to upgrade and subscription rates of up to £69.99 a month.Today, even rudimentary features on some apps, such as seeing everyone who “liked” your profile, are unavailable without paying. Hinge users can buy ‘roses’ to contact certain paywalled profilesPop-up adverts in all three apps promote paid-for options that imply you will “get seen by more people” or “get noticed sooner” for a certain period of time. Luke Brunning, who runs a love, sex, and relationships research group at the University of Leeds, likened dating apps’ features to video game loot boxes, which have drawn the attention of gambling regulators.
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