Single

Image: eHarmony

Gen Z daters are used to meeting people via dating apps and social media platforms, but many are turned off by influencers and certain online behaviors, according to the latest study from eHarmony.

The online dating company surveyed 2,000 adults across the U.S. and found that growing up in the online era of smartphones and social media had an impact on the dating attitudes of Gen Z. The study also showed how their attitudes towards dating and relationships differed from Millennials.

For example, 57 percent of Gen Z respondents said they’ve met at least half of their romantic partners via dating apps or social media. The study (local copy) also found that turn-offs for Gen Z daters were often social-media-related. Forty-two percent were turned off by bad taste in memes, 32 percent said regular use of GIFs turned them off, 38 percent said influencers, and 31 percent said not having an active social media presence at all.

Tinder has added new profile stickers to celebrate Pride month, and as young LGBTQIA+ daters become the fastest-growing user base on its platform.

Young users can now add “My First Pride” as a sticker to help them connect with others attending Pride-related events, according to The Advocate. “Came Out Online” is another sticker specifically honoring younger Tinder users who first came out on a dating app or social media platform.

In fact, Tinder’s new Future of Dating Report found that 54 percent of LGBTQIA+ singles between the ages of 18 and 25 come out on dating apps first, and to friends and family later. The study also found that young singles say their sexual identity and gender identity have become more fluid over the past three years.

Image: Netflix

Netflix launched its latest dating reality TV show Jewish Matchmaking in May, and it’s already sparking new interest among young singles to try the age-old practice.

According to Jewish Unpacked, matchmaking is ancient but gets a fresh new look on the Netflix series, hosted by Aleeza Ben Shalom, Dating Coach and Matchmaker. One of the contestants is content creator Cindy Seni (who has also hosted videos for Unpacked), who was contacted by the production team to audition.

“I was making a lot of reels about being single,” Seni told Unpacked. “So I was sent an email, and then I just applied as a joke at the beginning, because I had just gotten out of a relationship. And I was like, Well, why not? You know, if someone’s gonna find me a husband, it’s going to be Netflix.” 

Netflix dropped its first trailer for the new series The Ultimatum: Queer Love, which will premiere on the streaming service in May.

The trailer is a departure from the original Ultimatum series because all of the couples on the new dating reality show are LGBTQ+ for the first time. According to The Pink News, the new series promises to “showcase more stories of love, relationships and the ups and the downs of commitment” with “brutal honesty” as each couple hits a crossroads in their relationship.

Notably, as show creator Chris Coelen promised last year, this installment would feature “an all-queer cast made up of women and non-binary people.”

Tinder has announced the launch of its new Photo Verification feature, which includes an AI-powered update and video selfie requirement.

According to Tech Crunch, the new Photo Verification is to help users prove they aren’t a bot or catfisher on the dating app by taking video selfies that can be analyzed by AI against their photos. Previously, users were required to take a selfie as instructed by the app to compare against a profile photo, but Tinder is strengthening its process even further by requiring the video selfie, so there is no room for error.

The process for verification requires the user to complete a series of videos responding to questions or prompts, and then the AI tool scans the videos and compares them to the photos the user wants to include in their profile to see if they match. The AI tool uses 3D mapping of facial geometry for both the video and photos, according to Tech Crunch.

Image: Netflix

The wildly popular dating reality series Perfect Match has been renewed for a second season by Netflix. The series debuted in February of this year and spent five weeks on Netflix’s Global Top 10 English TV list, and reaching the top 10 TV lists in 58 countries, according to Deadline.com.

The show doesn’t introduce new singles to its audience – instead, it brings together stars who remained single after they left other popular dating reality shows like Love is Blind, The Ultimatum, Too Hot to Handle, and The Mole.

The characters convene on a tropical island (per usual for reality shows) and try to find their “perfect match.” The twist is that the singles have to compete to form relationships, and the most compatible couples have the most power. These couples play matchmaker, with the ability to break up others and send them on dates with other singles they invite to the villa.