Advice

Imagine this: your phone lights up with new messages, likes pour in, and matches seem to happen almost every second. That’s what happens on Tinder’s “Dating Sunday,” the first Sunday of the year, and it’s quickly becoming one of the most exciting times to be single and looking. According to internal Tinder data from the latest Year in Swipe report, this single day can see activity surge far above the yearly average.

If you’re thinking about refreshing your profile or trying something new this year, understanding this peak moment can help you find more connections and maybe even make the dating experience feel less like a routine and more like a celebration of possibility.

Have you ever dismissed someone who didn’t check every box—only to later wonder what might’ve been? Plenty of Fish’s 2026 trends suggest many singles are doing just that. Their new report, based on a survey of nearly 6,000 U.S. members, spotlights how dating is shifting toward authenticity, spontaneity, and embracing surprises.

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico has issued a critical security alert for Americans using dating apps when traveling in Mexico due to several confirmed reports of kidnapping.

According to Newsweek, the Guadalajara Consulate confirmed reports of US citizens being kidnapped by people they met via dating apps, particularly in popular tourist destinations like the Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Nayarit areas.

"Victims and their family members in the United States have at times been extorted for large sums of money to secure their release," the security notice said.

Tinder Dating Handbook

Image: Tinder

On International Women’s Day, Tinder announced the launch of Her New Dating Rule Book, a guide to challenging dating norms and traditions for singles in India.

According to Mashable India, the new guide offers new “rules” for dating today, including who should foot the bill on a first date. Traditionally, it’s been the man, but Tinder says that dating dynamics are changing, and young women in India embrace a more progressive, less traditional approach.

One of the first rules of the guidebook states: “Respect Over Outdated Gender Roles, a.k.a. Chivalry 2.0,” to highlight the fact that young singles are looking for mutual respect and dates who keep promises over outdated notions of chivalry, like expecting a man to pay for a meal. And 36 percent surveyed said they value dates who give their full attention and put the phone away on the date.

Dating app Hinge posted some advice on its blog to guide users heading into the busiest season for dating apps, from New Year’s Day until Valentine’s Day.

Hinge advises users to embrace a concept called “Dating Forward,” which means to focus on intentional actions to create the love life you want. Hinge’s Director of Relationship Science, Logan Ury said in the post to give your profile a refresh, which includes updated photos, trying out a new prompt on its app, and including your dating intentions so there’s clarity about what you want in a relationship.

There are also other tips Ury offers for searching on dating apps, such as looking for potential in matches and agreeing to message and meet for a date to see where it goes before discounting them because they don’t match your ideal.

Dating app Grindr has issued a warning to its users who live in or are traveling to Brussels after a recent attack.

Grindr has installed a push notification for users in the area that reads: "Be safe! Violent and homophobic setups have been reported in Brussels," according to Brussels Times.

The gay dating app warned users of homophobic violence in the country after local police confirmed they are investigating whether someone used a fake profile to target and kill a family in a recent home invasion in Ixelles, Brussels. A fifty-seven year-old man was shot dead, and his wife and twenty-two year-old son suffered gunshot wounds after their home was invaded.