In much of the world, dating services like OkCupid and Tinder are openly used for hookups. It’s a reputation some have tried to shake, but many tolerate and others have even embraced. It’s 2017 - that’s just how people date.

Unless, that is, you’re dating under the watchful eye of the Indian government.

Authorities in India plan to enact regulations that prevent singles who aren’t interested in marriage from using matrimonial websites. The new rules will require websites to keep IP address records, and require users to upload documents proving their identity. A government official told Bloomberg that the regulations are designed to ensure the websites aren’t being “misused.”

Recipient
Tinder

The 2016 Editor's Top Pick - Dating App Award goes to Tinder. 2016 was another big year for Tinder being the most popular dating app on iOS and Android. It's estimated value was pegged at $1.2 billion USD in 2016 and it has now more than 1.5 million paid subscribers (end of Quarter 3 in 2016).

In 2016 Tinder introduced a number of new features for it's members including the paid feature Tinder Boost which allows members to jump to the front of the line and get your profile seen by other members first. Tinder also added dozens of new gender identity options, and Smart Photo which figures out which of your profile photo's people like best. Tinder also partnered with Spotify to allow sharing of your favorite tunes along with a partnership with Giphy which enabled GIF support in all Tinder messages.

Recipient
Adult FriendFinder

The recipient of the Editors Top Pick - Sexy Award for 2016 is Adult FriendFinder. Launched in 1996 AFF has become one of the largest adult dating services for members looking to hookup. With over 40 million members on Adult FriendFinder looking for all sorts of activities there is sure to be members local to you that you can meet up with.

What makes Adult FriendFinder a great hookup community is how active it is. Members constantly are posting photos, videos, and communicating to each other via real-time chat and text messages. AFF is free to join and create a profile. Once complete you can search for members and view part of their profile, small versions of the pictures, and watch some user videos. You can also communicate with members on the instant messenger. This allows you to get a taste of what the service is like. If you want to do more like the ability to send messages and read complete profiles, you will need to subscribe to Adult FriendFinder.

eHarmony Compatibility Scoring

Ever wondered why eHarmony thinks you are more compatible with some matches than others? Now, the company is offering a look behind the curtain of its secretive matching algorithm by unveiling key dimensions of compatibility to users.

The veteran online dating company is introducing a new compatibility scoring feature called “The Two of You Together,” where people can identify the matches who score at an advanced level of compatibility. This feature will show the top three attributes for matches that predict successful and lasting relationships. In addition, users can drill down to see how a match scores on all dimensions such as emotional energy, kindness and intellect, and learn more about what each means.

Previously, each new eHarmony member was provided with an analysis of his/her personality type and preferences, including strengths and weaknesses when it comes to forming relationships. This new feature adds depth to this process by showing “behind the scenes” why you might connect better with one match than another.

Recipient
Christian Mingle

The recipient of the Editor's Top Pick - Christian Award for 2016 is Christian Mingle. You can access this dating service via their website and on apps (for your iOS and Android phones). Christian Mingle continues to be a leader in the Christian niche dating space and is one of the most popular online dating services in this category.

From a recent survey it was found Christian Mingle has one of the highest ratio of women for a dating site of just over 58% (see Story). They also continue to partner with church communities to offer virtual communities to match members together. With their online community now with over 15 million like-minded members, if you are looking for someone who's faith is important part of their life, then Christian Mingle can help you create those connections.

Dating apps have provided a great way for people to connect, but along with the positives, the downside to dating apps still looms large - users aren't necessarily safe when they are meeting new people.

Dating app users can become easy targets for sexually predatory behavior. The question of security in online dating has once again entered the news headlines, thanks to the conviction of Stephen Port, a UK man who was accused and found guilty of killing four men he met through gay dating apps.

Port met his victims by catfishing them through various dating apps including Grindr, posting fake profiles and avoiding using any real details about himself, encouraging them to meet in person before drugging their drinks.