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New gay dating apps like Scruff and Archer are positioning themselves to capture a bigger portion of the LGBTQ+ online dating market as Grindr complaints and technical issues rise.

Grindr has long been the most popular dating app for gay daters, but recently people have posted complaints on social media and online forums, saying that they are experiencing technical issues, not getting access to the features they paid for, and other problems, according to Mashable.

This year, Grindr has experienced significant bugs and periods of downed service. At the same time, it has asked its users to pay more to access certain popular features, including limiting both “taps” and “explore” features and requiring them to buy subscriptions.

Dating app After just launched in Austin, Texas, and is aimed at ending the pervasive problem of ghosting on dating apps.

According to Tech Crunch, when someone “unmatches” a person on After, they are required to let the app know why before they can keep swiping. It can be for any number of reasons – from distance issues to just a general vibe of non-interest, and the app will send a kind message to the other user in return. The idea is to give the person who was ghosted some closure with a reason why the other person is no longer interested, while also reminding them this one match experience isn’t an indication of who they are or what they are worth.

For two people who matched on the app and neglect to message each other, the app will end the match. If one person doesn’t respond to a match’s message, the app will nudge them to send a message. If they still don’t reply to a conversation, the app unmatches them and the user who didn’t respond can’t use the platform until they provide a reason for letting the match expire.

Image: Tinder

Dating app Tinder is launching the in-app “Take Action Center” along with partner Vote.org to encourage people to register to vote and make a voting plan ahead of the November elections in the U.S.

According to Tinder’s press release, the Take Action Center is powered by Vote.org to make it easy for people to get the information they need to prepare for election season, including where to register to vote or how to check voter registration status, how to request a mail-in ballot, and where to vote (whether in-person, early voting, or dropping a ballot in the mail). Vote.org offers a range of information to voters, including polling locations and voter registration status. Tinder users who participate can also receive “I Voted” digital stickers to post on their profiles.

To help drive turnout, Tinder and Vote.org will also provide a GOTV (get out the vote) food truck outside of the Taylor Swift Eras Tour in Indianapolis, November 2-3. The food truck will feed concertgoers as well as provide them information about their voter registration and voting options including their polling locations (even for those traveling from other states).

Bumble, the Austin, Texas-based female-forward dating app has announced its backing of a new documentary about the impact of abortion laws in the Lone Star state.

Zurawski v Texas is produced by Hillary and Chelsea Clinton’s production company as well as Hollywood A-list actress Jennifer Lawrence, and Bumble has funded a series of impact screenings in Austin beginning September 24th, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The company will also fund screenings at Alamo Drafthouse theaters across the country on September 25th to bring light to this issue.

Zurawski v Texas tracks the legal case in which 20 Texas women sued the state in 2023 because its restrictive abortion laws prevented them from receiving necessary medical care, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film follows attorney Molly Duane who is representing the plaintiffs, as well as three of the women at the center of the case, one of whom almost died from complications and suffered permanent damage that left her unable to carry a child.

New York dating service Pique is turning back the clock on how people meet with its debut of the “Love Wall,” a tangible alternative to dating apps.

According to Newsweek, the Love Wall was created by Pique co-founders Cyrus Belsoi and Vaish Sesetty, designed as an in-person experience to help people connect. The founders saw an opportunity to create something different as people became more frustrated with dating apps.

The Love Wall is located in Brooklyn’s McCarren Park, and has generated some buzz among local singles looking for an alternative to swiping. It contains hundreds of polaroid pictures hanging from its structure, as well as a few bio details like you’d find in an online profile.

Tinder has partnered with e.l.f. Cosmetics in a new collaboration to promote self-confidence and self-expression when heading out to meet someone new.

The partners are launching the “put your e.l.f. out there” Vault collection, which introduces new beauty products designed to help Tinder users “face the first date.” The collection includes three exclusive products: All Slick, No Ick Face Primer and Set-uationship Setting Mist, packaged in a “Flame Changer” makeup bag.

In addition to the exclusive products, the collaboration includes the dating app-focused Tinder Box Lip Trio, which has lip oils like Spice Things Up and Keep Your Cool. The makeup also includes a red lipliner called Red-Y for Anything.

The idea for the collaboration began with a study that found 35 percent of singles see first dates as a great opportunity to try new makeup looks. Researchers at Censuswide, a member of the British Polling Council, surveyed over 4,000 daters ages 18 and up across the UK and US in late August.