Original Dating App
This timeline of online dating services also includes broader events related to technology-assisted dating (not just online dating). Where there are similar services, only major ones or 'the first of its kind' are listed.
Year (month and date) | Event | Venue |
---|---|---|
1959 | Happy Families Planning Services launches. Started by Jim Harvey and Phil Fialer as a class project at Stanford. Used a questionnaire and an IBM 650 to match 49 men and 49 women. | |
1963 | Ed Lewis at Iowa State University uses a questionnaire and an IBM computer 'to optimize the meeting potential at dances'.[1] | |
1964 | St. James Computer Dating Service (later to become Com-Pat) launches. Joan Ball started the first commercially run computer generated matchmaking company. The first set of matchups was run in 1964.[2] | |
1965 | Operation Match (part of Compatibility Research Inc.) launches. Started by Jeff Tarr and Vaughan Morrill at Harvard. Used a questionnaire and an IBM 1401 to match students. There was a $3 fee for submitting a questionnaire. 'By the fall of sixty-five, six months after the launch, some ninety thousand Operation Match questionnaires had been received, amounting to $270,000 in gross profits, about $1.8 million in [2014]'s dollars.'[1] In the 1960s there still was no stigma about computer-assisted matching. | |
1965 | Eros (Contact Inc.) launches. Started by David Dewan at MIT. Used a dating questionnaire and Honeywell 200. 'In one distribution of questionnaires, he drew eleven thousand responses at $4 each, or $44,000 in gross profits, about $250,000 in [2014]'s dollars.'[1] | |
1965 | The New York Review of Books personals column makes a comeback. Slater writes:
| Magazine |
1968 | Data-Mate launches. Questionnaire-based matching service started at MIT.[3] | |
1970s, early | Phase II is founded. A 'computer-dating company' started by James Schur.[1] | |
1974 | Cherry Blossoms' mail-order bride catalog launches. Slater calls Cherry Blossoms 'one of the oldest mail-order bride agencies'. Started by John Broussard. | |
1976 | Great Expectations is founded. Video dating service started by Jeffrey Ullman.[4][5] The service achieved some notability, but it never overcame stigma. There were also apparently other video dating services like Teledate and Introvision, but it's nearly impossible to find anything about them online. | |
1980s | messageries roses (pink chat rooms) launches chat rooms for dating (using the Minitel network) started by Marc Simoncini. France. | |
1986[6] | Matchmaker Electronic Pen-Pal Network launches. A bulletin board system for romance started by Jon Boede and Scott Smith. Matchmaker grew to 14 local BBSs throughout the US. Eventually people lost interest as BBSs lost out to the World Wide Web, and Matchmaker was superseded by Matchmaker.com. | |
1987 | TelePersonals is created as a separate telephone dating system in Toronto, Canada from an earlier 'Personals' dating section of a telephone classified business. As part of an advertising program a selection of ads appear on the back pages of Now Magazine, the Canadian equivalent of the Village Voice. Services in different cities around the Toronto area are launched. A gay option is quickly added. The gay section becomes its own branded service. At the very beginning of the 2000s TelePersonals launches online and is rebranded as Lava Life with sections for cities across the United States and Canada. | Telephone, later Web |
1989 | Scanna International launches. Mail-order bride service focusing on Russia and Eastern Europe. | |
1994 | Kiss.com launches. The first modern dating website. | |
1995 | Yid.com launched as the first Jewish dating service and the first dating site in South Africa | Web |
1995 | Match.com launches. Started by Gary Kremen. | |
1997 | JDate launches dating service targeted at Jewish singles | |
1997 | Shaadi.com launches. It is an online wedding service founded by Anupam Mittal in 1997. October 1998, Sanjeev Bikhchandani, founder and executive vice chairman of Info Edge India, started the matrimonial website | |
1998 | Jeevansathi.com launches. October 1998, Sanjeev Bikhchandani, founder and executive vice chairman of Info Edge India, started the matrimonial website. | |
1999 | Gaydar launches. Founded in November 1999 by London-based South Africans Gary Frisch and his partner Henry Badenhorst, the website was once the world's most popular gay online dating site it grew into a portfolio of websites and an award-winning radio station. | Web later App |
2000 | eHarmony launches. Online dating service for long-term relationships. | |
2000 | BharatMatrimony launches. Murugavel Janakiraman started the BharatMatrimony website in 2000[7] while working as a software consultant for Lucent Technologies in Edison, N.J. In the late 1990s he set up a Tamil community web portal, which included matrimonial ads. He started BharatMatrimony after noticing the matrimonial ads generated most of his web traffic | |
2001 | Christian Mingle launches dating service for Christian singles | |
2002 | Friendster is launched. A friendship, dating and early general Social networking website all rolled into one. In 2005 Facebook copies and expands the idea into a general social interconnected website. | Web |
2002 | PlanetRomeo is launched as GayRomeo in October 2002 initially only available in German but now available in 6 languages. The majority of the sites users are based in Europe. | Web later App |
2002 | Dudesnude is launched as a networking site for gay men. The company slogan is 'picture, video, and profile sharing for men!' | Web |
2002 | Ashley Madison is launched as a networking service for extramarital relationships. | |
2002 | PrimeSingles.net launches as a dating service for singles over 50. This name changes to Single Seniors Meet in 2009 and to SilverSingles in 2011 | |
2003 | Proxidating launches. Dating service that used Bluetooth to 'alert users when a person with a matching profile was within fifty feet'.[1] | |
2003 | PlentyOfFish launches. | Web |
2004 | OkCupid launches. | Web |
2006 | Spark Networks, owner of niche dating sites like Jdate and Christian Mingle, goes public.[7] | |
2006 | Badoo launches as a dating-focused social networking service | |
2006 | SeekingArrangement launches. A sugar daddy/sugar baby site in the US. | |
2007 | Skout launches. A 'location-based social networking and dating application and website'. | |
2007 | Crazy Blind Date launches. Blind dating service started by Sam Yagan. | |
2007 | Zoosk launches. A global online-dating service started by Shayan Zadeh and Alex Mehr. | |
2008 | GenePartner launches matching service based on 'DNA compatibility'.[8] | |
2009 | Grindr launches, focussing on gay, bi and trans people. | App |
2010 | Scruff launches, focussing on gay, bisexual, and transgender men, adding in 2013 a HIV-positive community. | App |
2011 | LikeBright launches. Online dating site by Nick Soman.[9] By 2014 the site shut down.[10] | Web |
2011 | Dating group Spark Networks acquires Senior Singles Meet (formerly PrimeSingles) and changes the name to SilverSingles | |
2011 (July) | Momo, a Chinese social search and instant messaging app launches. | |
2011 (September) | Blendr, designed to connect like-minded people, launches. | |
2012(?) | Highlight launches. Slater calls it a 'location-based dating app'. | App |
2012 | Tinder launches. | App |
2012 | Hinge launches, an app 'designed to be deleted' | App |
2014 (Passover) | JSwipe launches. A dating app for Jewish millennials. | App |
2014 | Bristlr launches, facilitating communication between bearded men and women who love beards. | |
2014 (July) | 3nder starts facilitating communication between people interested in polyamory, kink, swinging, and other alternative sexual preferences. | |
2014 (September) | Spoonr starts facilitating communication between strangers who live within walking distance from each other. | |
2014 (December) | Bumble launches, a location-based mobile app that permits only women to start a chat with their matches.[11] | |
2015 | Personal information of Ashley Madison users stolen and released. | |
2015 | Huggle starts connecting users based on commonality of places they frequent. | |
2015 | Yellow, a Tinder for teens, launches in France and in 2017 in the US. | |
2015 | Jdate owners Spark Networks Inc buy JSwipe from Smooch Labs.[12] | |
2015 (November 19) | Match Group, which owns and operates several online dating web sites including OkCupid, Tinder, PlentyOfFish, and Match.com, goes public. | |
2017 | Affinitas GmbH (owner of dating websites like EliteSingles and eDarling) merges with Spark Networks, Inc, (owner of dating websites like Christian Mingle, Jdate, and SilverSingles) to create Spark Networks SE | |
2019 | Spark Networks SE acquires Zoosk, forming North America's second-largest dating company in revenues.[13] | |
2020 | Spark dating app launches in Canada with a focus on creative matchmaking[14] | App |
2021 | Beyond Dating app launches in India focusing on Interest matching, Profile Shorting Mode, and a unique Barrier. The Barrier is a personal matching test to get matched with the desired person. | App |
2019 TV-MA 1h 19m Sci-Fi Movies. While in Rome to shoot his first movie, actor and industrial heir Nick becomes obsessed with a dating app that sends him into a self-destructive spiral. Starring: Vincenzo Crea, Jessica Cressy, Greta Scarano. WE'RE ORIGINAL DATING THE UK'S LEADER IN SPEED DATING & SINGLES PARTIES We organise speed dating events and huge singles parties that people love. Join us, have a fantastic night out and just maybe meet someone amazing. Welcome to Tinder — you can be here for a good time, and a long time, too. With 30 billion matches to date, Tinder® is the top free dating app, making it the place to meet new people. Whether you’re looking for love, need a date today, or just want to chat: We’ve got something for local singles ever. Spark dating app launches in Canada with a focus on creative matchmaking: App 2021 Beyond Dating app launches in India focusing on Interest matching, Profile Shorting Mode, and a unique Barrier. The Barrier is a personal matching test to get matched with the desired person.
Dominance of online dating[edit]
Original Data
A 2017 survey tracked the change in how Americans meet their spouses and romantic partners since 1940. The results showed a steep increase in the proportion of couples whose first interaction occurred through online media.[15][16]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ abcdefSlater, Dan. A Million First Dates.
- ^Hicks, Marie (2016). 'Computer Love: Replicating Social Order Through Early Computer Dating Systems'. Ada: A Jornal of Gender, New Media and Technology. ISSN2325-0496.
- ^Lawrence Krakauer writes about his experiences here.
- ^Ullman, Jeff. 'Jeff Ullman'. LinkedIn. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
Great Expectations (video dating) December 1975 – January 1997 (21 years 2 months) Created, served as CEO, and primary international media spokesperson for 'Great Expectations', which we built into the world's largest introduction service for singles (aka, 'video dating').
- ^Wallace, Amy (January 16, 1994). 'Love God From Hell : The Man Who Brought You Videodating Hates to Date, Loves to Taunt and Has Himself Been Unlucky in Love. Would You Buy a Relationship From Jeffrey Ullman?'. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 4, 2016. Dan Slater references this article.
- ^Slater, Dan.
- ^Gelsi, Steve. 'Spark Networks files $75 million IPO'. MarketWatch. Retrieved 2019-11-20.
- ^Arrington, Michael (July 22, 2008). 'Ok, We Have Our First DNA-Based Dating Service: GenePartner'. TechCrunch. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
- ^Soper, Taylor (December 20, 2013). 'Matchmaking platform LikeBright raising $1M to help singles land a 2nd date'. GeekWire. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
- ^Soper, Taylor (September 18, 2014). 'Matchmaking platform LikeBright morphs into Reveal, a new anonymous chat app'. GeekWire. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
- ^'Bumble is a dating app where women take lead'. Thestar. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- ^'JDate Bought JSwipe and Everyone Loves Each Other Now'. Observer. 2015-10-15. Retrieved 2019-11-20.
- ^'Spark Networks SE Closes Zoosk, Inc. Acquisition'. finance.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2019-11-20.
- ^'Spark Networks Launches 'Creativity-Focused' Dating App 'Spark''. Global Dating Insights. 2020-06-25. Retrieved 2021-01-22.
- ^'How Couples Meet and Stay Together SSDS Social Science Data Collection'. data.stanford.edu. Retrieved 2019-12-07.
- ^'How Couples Meet and Stay Together 2017 (HCMST2017) SSDS Social Science Data Collection'. data.stanford.edu. Retrieved 2019-12-07.
An online dating application is an online dating service presented through a mobile phone application, often taking advantage of a smartphone's GPS location capabilities, always on-hand presence, and easy access to digital photo galleries and mobile wallets to enhance the traditional nature of online dating.
These apps can simplify and speed the process of sifting through potential dating partners, chatting, flirting, and potentially meeting or becoming romantically involved over traditional online dating services.
The launch of Tinder in 2012 led to a growth of online dating applications, both by new providers and by traditional online dating services that expanded into the mobile app market.
Origins[edit]
Tinder was the application that led the surge in mobile dating applications.[1] Tinder was released in September 12, 2012 by founders Sean Ra, Jonathan Badeen, Justin Mateen, Joe Munoz, Dinesh Moorjani, Chris Gylczynski, and Whitney Wolfe. Although, other sources state that the founders are Mateen, Rad, and Badeen only.[2]
Usage by demographic group[edit]
Online dating applications target a young demographic group. Whereas before, people had very little exposure to online dating, today almost 50% of people know of someone who use the services or has met their loved one through the service.[3] After the iPhone launch in 2007, online dating data has only increased as application usage increased. In 2005, only 10% of 18-24 year olds reported to have used online dating services; this number increased to over 27% of this population.[4] Making this target demographic the largest number of users for most applications. When Pew Research Center conducted a study in 2016, they found that 59% of U.S. adults agreed that online dating is a good way to meet people compared to 44% in 2005. This increase in usage by this target group can be justified by their increased use of smartphones which lead them to use these smartphone dating apps. About 1 in 5 18-24-year-old (22%)[3] reported using dating applications in 2016, whereas only 5% did so in 2003.[4]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Morning Consult found through its polling that more Americans were using online dating apps than ever before. In one survey in April 2020, the company found that 53% of U.S. adults who use online dating apps have been using them more during the pandemic.[5] As of February 2021, that share increased to 71 percent.[6]
Original Gay Dating App
Tinder[edit]
Tinder is a dating application that enables users to quickly browse through photographs of other users within a defined proximity. Tinder is known for its unique swiping mechanism. When the user comes across someone they are interested in, they swipe right. If the user is not interested in someone, they swipe left. If two users mutually swipe right on each other it's called a 'match' and a chat can be initiated between them. This basic mechanism has since been used in other dating apps, including Bumble.[7]
Other popular applications[edit]
After Tinder's success, many others tried creating their own dating applications and dating websites such as Match.Com created applications for convenience. ARC from Applause,[8] a research group on app economy, conducted a research study in 2016 on how 1.5 million U.S. consumers rated 97 of the most popular dating apps. The research results indicated that only 11 apps scored 50 or greater (out of 100) with more than 10,000 reviews from the app store. These include: Jaumo, OKCupid, happn, SCRUFF by Perry Street, Moco by JNJ Mobile, GROWL by Initech, Skout, Qeep by Blue Lion mobile, MeetMe, Badoo, and Hornet. An app with a 50+ score was considered successful. Other popular applications like Bumble, Grindr, eHarmony and Match scored 40 or less.[8] To ensure privacy for celebrities, Raya emerged as a membership-based dating app, allowing entrance only through referrals.[9] In 2019 - Taimi that started out as an alternative to Grindr launched a first LGBTQI+ inclusive dating app.[10] The ability to identify individuals with similar interests has given rise to a number of popular religious dating apps including the likes of Muzmatch (Muslim), Salams (Muslim), Upward (Christian), Christian Connection (Christian), JSwipe (Jewish) and JDate (Jewish).[11][12][13]
Actually Free Dating Apps
Effects on dating[edit]
The usage of online dating applications can have both advantages and disadvantages:
Advantages[edit]
Many of the applications provide personality tests for matching or use algorithms to match users.[14] These factors enhance the possibility of users getting matched with a compatible candidate. Users are in control; they are provided with many options so there are enough matches that fit their particular type. Users can simply choose to not match the candidates that they know they are not interested in. Narrowing down options is easy. Once users think they are interested, they are able to chat and get to know the potential candidate. This type of communication saves the time, money, and risk users would not avoid if they were dating the traditional way.[15] Online dating offers convenience; people want dating to work around their schedules. Online dating can also increase self-confidence; even if users get rejected, they know there are hundreds of other candidates that will want to match with them so they can simply move on to the next option.[16] In fact, 60% of U.S. adults agree that online dating is a good way to meet people and 66% say they have gone on a real date with someone they met through an application. Today, 5% of married Americans or Americans in serious relationships said they met their significant other online.[4]
Disadvantages[edit]
Sometimes having too many options can be overwhelming. With so many options available, users can get lost in their choices and end up spending too much time looking for the 'perfect' candidate instead of using that time to start a real relationship.[15] In addition, the algorithms and matching systems put in place may not always be as accurate as users think. There is no perfect system that can match two people’s personalities perfectly every time.[17]
Communication online also lacks the physical chemistry aspect that is essential for choosing a potential partner. Much is lost in translation through texting. Online dating has made dating very superficial; the picture on users’ profile may cause someone to match or not match before even getting to know their personalities.[18]
After analysing a significant number of diverse mobile dating applications, researchers have concluded that most of the major dating applications are vulnerable to simple sniffing attacks, which could reveal very sensitive personal information such as sexual orientation, preferences, e-mails, degree of interaction between users, etc.[19]
Furthermore, online dating platforms are also becoming breeding grounds for honeypots wherein attackers create fake profiles to steal user's private information, one such work studies and evaluates user's vulnerabilities of disclosing personally identifiable information (PII) in Tinder, a mobile dating app.[20]
An issue amplified by dating apps is a phenomenon known as 'ghosting', whereby one party in a relationship cuts off all communication with the other party without warning or explanation. Ghosting poses a serious problem for dating apps as it can lead to users deleting the apps. For this reason companies like Bumble and Badoo are cracking down on the practice with new features that make it easier for users to end chat conversations more politely.[21]
Online dating is stigmatized,[22] but it is becoming more accepted over time.
Data privacy[edit]
Dating apps and online dating sites are often involved in cases concerning the misuse of data. In 2018 Grindr, the first platform for gay dating, is accused to have shared data about the HIV status of its users with numerous companies.[23] Grindr recognized the allegations[24] but claim that It was in order to optimize its platform which doesn’t convince the LGBT community. Grindr defend itself by sharing the Data Loss Prevention of the company and reassure the users with the public intervention of its CTO Scott Chen. In Europe dating platform care more and more about data legislation because of the GDPR sanctions that threatens companies of economic sanctions.
Other personal data are sold by dating apps. The one that is the most bought by private companies remains the geographical information of users. When the user allow localization, apps record them and store them using Geographic Coordinate System. When a data breach happens, geographical information directly exposes users.
As others applications, dating apps can have breaches: hackers have revealed security issues on Tinder,[25]Coffee Meets Bagel[26] or Adult FriendFinder for instance. On the last one, the data of more than 412 million users was exposed, one of the largest leak in terms of the number of accounts exposed.[27] In 2016, the sharing of personal information from almost 40 million users of Ashley Madison by a group of Hackers, the 'Impact Team', revealed their real name, phone number, email address, geographical position and sexual preferences.[28] Ashley Madison assured their more than 35 million users that the service was totally 'anonymous' and '100% discrete' but they didn't delete completely accounts when users chose to (and paid for that) or recognize that data had actually leaked in a first time. Some suicides have been reported after the leak.[29]Taimi introduced bank-level security to become the 'safest dating app' for gay people to date. [30]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Wood, Molly (2015-02-04). 'Led by Tinder, a Surge in Mobile Dating Apps'. The New York Times. ISSN0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
- ^Witt, Emily (2014-02-11). 'How the Tinder App Became a Success'. GQ. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
- ^ ab'Online dating usage by demographic group'. Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech. 2016-02-10. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
- ^ abc'5 facts about online dating'. Pew Research Center. 2016-02-29. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
- ^'Online Dating Use Rises Amid Coronavirus Pandemic'. Morning Consult. 2020-04-27. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
- ^'Spurred On by COVID-19, Millennials Lead the Way in Destigmatizing Online Dating - Morning Consult Amid Pandemic, Millennials Lead the Way in Destigmatizing Online Dating'. Morning Consult. 2021-02-11. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
- ^'Tinder: The Online Dating App Everyone's Talking About'. Marie Claire. 2016-09-22. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
- ^ ab'The Best And Worst Dating Apps For 2016'. ARC. 2016-02-10. Archived from the original on 2016-03-20. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
- ^Roose, Kevin (27 June 2018). 'Can 'Illuminati Tinder' Save Us All?'. The New York Times. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^Q. N. Editor (2019-08-13). 'TAIMI BECOMES THE FIRST LGBTQI+ INCLUSIVE SOCIAL AND DATING NETWORK IN THE U.K.'Queer News. Retrieved 2019-09-19.
- ^Russell, Katie (2017-08-11). 'The 20 best dating sites and apps'. The Telegraph. ISSN0307-1235. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
- ^Orenstein, Hannah; Lopez, Veronica (March 30, 2021). 'This Couple Met On Upward & Credit Their Faith For Keeping Their Love Strong'. Elite Daily.
- ^Kessler, Linda (February 2, 2021). 'Looking for love? Technology can help'. The Dallas Morning News.
- ^'Free Online Dating OkCupid'. OkCupid Free Online Dating. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
- ^ ab'Pros and Cons of Online Dating'. Psychology Today. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
- ^'How Technology is Changing Dating - PsychAlive'. www.psychalive.org. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
- ^Dewey, Caitlin (2015-11-11). 'The one thing about 'matching' algorithms that dating sites don't want you to know'. The Washington Post. ISSN0190-8286. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
- ^Expert, Mara Opperman Relationship Etiquette; IDoNowIDont.com, Co-Founder of; GATTO, Director of Communications at DEL (2015-02-20). 'The Superficiality of Online Dating Apps'. The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
- ^Patsakis, Constantinos; Zigomitros, Athanasios; Solanas, Agusti (15 June 2015). Analysis of privacy and security exposure in mobile dating applications. International Conference on Mobile, Secure and Programmable Networking. Paris. pp. 151–162. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-25744-0_13.
- ^Nandawani, Mona; Kaushal, Rishabh (5 July 2017). Evaluating User Vulnerability to Privacy Disclosures over Online Dating Platforms. International Conference on Innovative Mobile and Internet Services in Ubiquitous Computing. Italy. pp. 342–353. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-61542-4_32.
- ^Horton, Helena (2018-10-29). 'Dating apps crack down on 'ghosting', as 'epidemic' of ignoring partners puts off users'. The Telegraph. ISSN0307-1235. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
- ^https://search.proquest.com/openview/9d2ea980a396752eb0e53d7171a521ff/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
- ^Moylan, Brian (2018-04-04). 'Grindr was a safe space for gay men. Its HIV status leak betrayed us Brian Moylan'. The Guardian. ISSN0261-3077. Retrieved 2019-04-01.
- ^Kimball, Spencer (2018-04-02). 'Grindr defends sharing user HIV status with other companies'. www.cnbc.com. Retrieved 2019-04-01.
- ^'Millions of Tinder users may be affected by new security breach'. JOE.ie. Retrieved 2019-04-01.
- ^Donie O'Sullivan; Sara O'Brien. 'Dating app reveals data breach on Valentine's Day'. CNN. Retrieved 2019-04-01.
- ^Peterson, Andrea (2016-11-14). 'Adult FriendFinder hit with one of the biggest data breaches ever, report says'. The Washington Post. Retrieved 2019-04-02.
- ^Brandom, Russell (2015-08-19). 'Find out if your email is part of the Ashley Madison hack'. The Verge. Retrieved 2019-04-01.
- ^Lamont, Tom (2016-02-28). 'Life after the Ashley Madison affair'. The Observer. ISSN0029-7712. Retrieved 2019-04-01.
- ^'New gay dating app has 'bank-level' security for those afraid to be outed'. Gay Star News. 2018-05-04. Retrieved 2019-09-19.