The good, the bad, the ugly - it’s all part of the online dating experience. At their best, dating platforms help people connect and communicate with compatible partners they might never have met otherwise. At their worst, dating websites and apps are ground zero for ghosting, curving, catfishing, orbiting, breadcrumbing, prowling, pocketing, scrooging, cookie jarring, you-turning and countless other cutely-named but distressing dating behaviors.

Dating services are taking an increasingly strong stand against users who have forgotten their manners. Bumble has led the charge for years, making headlines by banning mirror selfies and profile pictures with deadly weapons. Other companies followed Bumble’s lead. Tinder asked users to swipe left on tiger photos. OkCupid introduced a Member Pledge to encourage more civil conversations. Grindr launched an initiative to curb racism and discrimination on its app.

Bumble is aligning itself with the stars in more ways than one – the female-friendly dating app now offers a new feature to let you filter your matches according to their astrological signs.

Bumble has allowed users to identify their own astrological signs in their profiles, but this marks the first time members will be able to filter matches by zodiac preferences. Bumble offers the filter across its platforms, including Bumble BFF and Bumble Bizz.

The new feature is Bumble’s response to young daters’ growing interest in astrology when it comes to forming relationships. It’s trendy now to analyze your astrological sign to determine your behavioral tendencies and who you are most compatible with, and many users are embracing the move by expressing their support over social media.

The first date can be a tense moment no matter who you’re seeing, but when you’re meeting a stranger you’ve only communicated with through a dating platform, the stakes are even higher.

So you examine their photos for evidence of editing. You comb through their profile looking for signs they might not be who they say they are. And when that’s not enough, you take your detective powers elsewhere. Some call it stalking, others call it pre-date research - either way, a lot of us are doing it.

Risk mitigation specialists JPD surveyed 2,000 Americans to find out exactly how, and how often, singles investigate prospective mates. According to JPD’s findings, 77 percent of active daters research matches on a regular basis. Of those who do, most spend 15 to 30 minutes conducting their investigations. Some admit to spending 45 minutes or more on research before a date. Only 11 percent said they never research dates at all.

You’re itching to book your next trip, but none of your friends are available and you don’t have a significant other. What’s a solo traveler to do? Apps dedicated to connecting travelers are on the rise. Some are explicitly designed to be digital matchmakers for singles with wanderlust, while others are intended to connect explorers looking for travel buddies or local guides. Here are five to try on your next adventure.

TourBar

TourBar is a mobile-first social network made to help jetsetters find dates or travel companions. Members can register as a solo traveler headed to a destination or as a local guide ready to reveal the best restaurants, beaches, bars and other must-see spots in their city. All users on the site are verified for a safer, less stressful international travel experience. TourBar’s ambitious goal is to become a platform for solo travelers of all kinds, where members can share travel plans and recent experiences with others looking to visit a destination.

Recipient
Christian Cafe

Christian Café is the recipient of the Editor's Top Pick - Christian Award for 2019. With over 20 years of experience with matching Christian singles, this dating service knows what is important to those who place a high value on their faith and beliefs.

On this dating service they offer a true Christian community that is owned and operated by a Christian family. The Christian-specific member profiles contain details others of faith would be interested to know about a person. Every aspect of this dating service is designed to match like-minded Christian singles together.

Down Detector for Tinder

Tinder users were frustrated earlier this month when they tried to message and browse matches on the app, but instead got recurring error messages. The app was down for several hours starting at around 5:00am PST on Tuesday January 8, according to reports.

Users across Europe, the U.K. and the U.S. experienced problems sending and receiving messages, as well as server connection errors according to news website CNET. Some users also reported that they were unable to login at all.