Single

Hinge announced that it has launched a new feature called “Dating Intentions” to encourage users to be more honest and upfront about what kind of relationship they are looking for.

According to Tech Crunch, the feature allows users to select a dating goal from a drop-down menu, which will be displayed in their profile. Some options include “life partner,” “long-term,” “open to short-term,” “short term, open to long-term,” “short term,” and “figuring out my dating goals.”

Online daters have grown increasingly frustrated with forming relationships that go nowhere, or that are layered in ambiguity. Some find it difficult to ask their dates what they are looking for in a relationship in the early stages, which leads to a lot of misunderstanding and heartache down the line, after they’ve invested emotionally in the relationship. Hinge hopes the new feature will help alleviate that, or at least help spark a conversation before the first date so both parties know what to expect.

Online dating company eharmony released a new study about dating in 2022, and despite the pandemic, found that most singles were optimistic about their prospects of finding love, and those in relationships were happy with their partners.

The Happiness Index study focused on how people are navigating dating and relationships in a post-pandemic world, and found that most singles - 76 percent – were optimistic about dating. The majority of those in relationships were satisfied, too, with 75 percent of U.S. couples saying they were happy in their relationships. Of those couples, 71 percent felt that having a romantic partner has positively affected their lives, and 55 percent said that their relationship has gotten stronger.

In addition to feeling more optimistic about their romantic lives, people are also gravitating away from alcohol after indulging during the pandemic. One in five people surveyed said they drank heavily during the lockdowns, and now, 74 percent of singles reported restricting their drinking in the last year. Twenty-one percent have considered not drinking at all. 

Seventy percent of American singles felt that dating got harder during the pandemic, according to the latest research from Pew.

In 2019, before the pandemic took hold, about two thirds of singles said that dating was hard, compared to the new Pew study which took place February 2022, where roughly seven in ten singles said it was hard. 

This finding comes on the heels of the most profitable couple of years for the dating app industry, as people locked down at home and turned to dating apps for connection. Subscriptions and revenue rose for many dating app companies, but daters seem to be left wanting more.

Match Group and Visible are teaming up to offer a Singles Registry where users can sign up to receive and send gifts to the single people in their lives. 

The announcement comes as we head into wedding season, a time when singles are often buying gifts for others and not celebrating their own lives. Match Group and the Verizon-owned digital wireless carrier wanted to spread the love (and gifts) a little more, at least for a limited time. The registry will be live from April 4ththrough the 30th.

The website the partners set up is VisibleSinglesRegistry.com, and is open to everyone, not just Match Group app users. When you sign up you can build your own wish list from a curated menu of items, including “Mine” and “Also Mine” tea towels, single serve coffee machines, wine glasses and kitchenware, a “pamper yourself” spa kit, premium memberships to Tinder, Plenty of Fish and OkCupid, and even a foldable one-person kayak for those that like adventure.

Hinge is giving some love to single Moms this Valentine’s Day, offering $100 in childcare stipends so that they can make plans for a date.

According to the company’s press release, the popular dating app kicked off the campaign on Friday, February 4th ahead of Valentine’s Day. Users who have selected “Have Children” in their profiles will receive an opt-in notification at that time. To be eligible to receive the gift, those who opt in must also comment on someone’s profile that same day. The gift cards will be sent via email to each selected parent, according to the release.

The campaign is in partnership with French singer-songwriter Soko, who is also a single parent. Soko wanted to focus especially on the LGBTQ+ community and encourage discussions on “how to prioritize responsibilities as a parent while also making time to find someone special,” according to the release.

Several of Japan’s largest companies have turned to an AI dating app to help their employees find love during the pandemic.

According to Kyodo News, about 800 companies have signed up to offer the app Aill goen to employees, with the aim that they will be happier and more productive workers if they are in a good relationship. Companies are also hoping the dating app will provide a way to help employees who might be struggling with their mental health, since they have been unable to physically interact with others because of lockdowns.

The pool of matches will be limited only to participating company employees, providing a level of safety and accountability for users of the app. Aill goen is being offered to employees as part of their benefits package at work, according to Kyodo News.