Can swiping right ever lead to a long term relationship?
Dating apps often have the reputation of promoting superficial sexual relationships over serious commitments, and honestly, the data seems to back this assumption up. Although 49% of millennials on dating apps reported looking for a long term relationship, only 10% of partnered adults (married, living with, or in committed romantic relationship with their partner) met their significant other through a dating site or app. So where does this disconnect arise, and what can we do to fix it?
Some blame the paradox of choice, or the phenomenon of an overabundance of choices resulting in anxiety and decision paralysis. Others believe the algorithms of the dating apps on the market are to blame. Many dating apps filter access to certain profiles and forbid users from accessing users who have already liked them. There are also the problems of bots infiltrating apps, making it difficult to decipher what matches could lead to a real relationship. Additionally, many of the compatibility components of dating apps are not specific or accurate enough, and users are often paired with others with different life goals, priorities, or locations. The way the apps are running now is not sustainable. 80% of millennials have reported dating app burnout, and on average, users spend 50 minutes per day on dating apps. Valuable time is being wasted and users are feeling the negative effects of poor app design.
So, how can the apps foster more long term genuine connections? Some believe the ability to give fellow users feedback as to why they did not match could make the experience more worthwhile. Others suggest giving feedback to the algorithm, in order to refine suggestions and streamline the matchmaking process. Either way, dating apps need to get more personal and tailored to individual preference. Online dating needs to become more meaningful than swiping left or right. People tend to forget their manners when hiding behind a screen. Dating apps should enforce greater accountability, but users should also take it upon themselves to put in the initiative and work required to form a meaningful connection.
Writer Bio
Kayleigh Johnson is an emerging pop-culture writer. She enjoys writing on facets of modern young adult life, and exploring the facets of different generational points of view.
She is a senior marketing major at Loyola University in her native Chicago, where she enjoys concerts, museums, cultural events and city life.
