Types (Niche)

The Vatican and Catholic Churches in the U.S. are bracing for more of its clergy members to be outed for using gay dating app Grindr.

The Pillar published a report that based on “legally obtained” data there seem to be “at least 16 mobile devices [that] emitted signals from the hookup app Grindr on at least four days between March to October 2018 within the non-public areas of the Vatican City State, while 16 other devices showed use of other location-based hookup or dating apps, both heterosexual and homosexual, on four or more days in the same time period.”

The Pillar maintains that this information was obtained through commercially available app signal data, not through hacking, and that it pulled data from rectories and other clerical housing from 2018 through 2020.

Facebook Dating has announced a new audio chat feature along with other offerings related to virtual dating, which has soared in popularity since the pandemic began.

According to The Verge, “Audio Dates” allows users start an audio-only conversation after they match. If one user reaches out, the other receives an invitation, and if they accept, they can start chatting.

In addition to Audio Dates, Facebook is launching a feature called Match Anywhere, where a user can add up to two additional locations where they want to look for matches besides where they live. This is similar to Tinder’s Passport which became hugely popular in the wake of the pandemic, especially as people began to move away from the cities where their jobs were located and work virtually. Dating someone who lives in another city, or even another country, no longer seems like a barrier as so many embraced the freedom that comes with remote working. It opened up a lot more opportunities that are still appealing to singles.

Dating app Match is beta testing some new features geared towards those interested in more “emotionally mature” relationships, an indication that the longstanding dating platform aims to cater to more serious daters.

According to Tech Crunch, the features are centered around two big frustrations with daters in their thirties who are ready to settle down: how long it takes to find a good match, and how pervasive the problem of ghosting has become. One feature called “Matched By Us” provides recommendations like a matchmaking service based on more in-depth questions the users are prompted to answer. The company is also testing an anti-ghosting feature that pushes users to continue a conversation or unmatch with that person, so that they aren’t left wondering what happened. 

Matched By Us presents one free match every week (available for both subscribers and non-paying members), where the couple can start up a conversation immediately without waiting for mutual likes. The matches are made through an algorithm that examines answers to questions posed to users, like their five-year plans or whether they are open to relocating for a relationship. 

OkCupid has debuted a new global ad campaign “Out of Home” (or OOH) to celebrate people meeting in person again - but with a focus on inclusivity.

The creative was developed by Italian artists Maurizio Cattelon and Pierpaolo Ferrari in partnership with creative agency Mekanism, and features colorful depictions of OkCupid daters in celebration of their individuality. Website The Drum also noted that the new campaign is also a nod to the diverse user base on the platform. 

One ad reads “tree hugger” and features a tree growing out of a dater’s boxer shorts, watered by someone off-camera with a watering can. “Every single vaxxer” features a couple kissing, their tongues becoming one. And another reads “every single cuddler” with a couple embracing with multiple arms. Each of the ads has bold coloring and a rich array of ethnicities, genders, and sexual preferences. 

Dating app conglomerate Match Group announced that it will launch new audio and video chat features to its suite of dating apps over the next two years. The company shared this news on its second quarter earnings call with investors.

The company plans to debut a new audio chat feature and group video chat, along with other “livestreaming technologies” across its apps, according to Tech Crunch. The rollouts will happen over the next 12 to 24 months, with two of their dating apps debuting it before the end of this year, followed by more rollouts in 2022.

Adding new livestream and chat features are the result of the company’s pricey acquisition of social discovery platform Hyperconnect (the acquisition’s officially closed in mid-June). Match Group owns a series of popular dating apps including Tinder, Hinge, OkCupid and Plenty of Fish among others, and has said that the future of dating apps will likely resemble social platforms, with livestreaming and video being at the forefront.

Google is cracking down on so-called “sugar dating” apps in its Play Store, and will shut them down as of September 1st.

The search engine behemoth has carried dating apps that offer “compensated sexual relationships” in its store, but in the push to crack down on these potentially exploitative apps, the company has now issued a strict policy for its store. Google is making other safety and security changes too, including a new initiative to shut down inactive developer accounts, according to The Verge.

Google made the announcement without specifying why it’s taking these actions now, but The Verge points out that it could be related to the FOSTA-SESTA legislation which was enacted in 2018, “which removes Section 230 protections for content that ‘promotes or facilitates prostitution.’” There has been a recent crackdown on platforms that deal in online sex work.