Tinder, Hinge and other dating apps encourage ‘compulsive’ use, lawsuit claims

Are you stuck in the dating app loop with no date in sight? A lawsuit filed Wednesday against Match Group alleges this is by design.

Tinder, Hinge and other Match dating apps are packed with addictive features that encourage “compulsive” use, the proposed class action lawsuit alleges.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday — Valentine’s Day — in federal court in the Northern District of California, says Match intentionally designs its dating platforms with game-like features that “lock users into a perpetual pay-to-play loop” that prioritizes profit gets above promises to help users find relationships.

This, the lawsuit alleges, turns users into “addicts” who buy increasingly expensive subscriptions to access special features that promise romance and matches.

“Match’s business model depends on generating returns by monopolizing users’ attention, and Match has guaranteed its success in the marketplace by fueling dating app addiction that fuels expensive subscriptions and perpetual use,” the lawsuit says. It was filed by six dating app users and is seeking class action status.

Representatives for Dallas-based Match did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

Although aimed at adults, the lawsuit comes as tech companies face increasing scrutiny over addictive properties that are harming the mental health of young people. For example, Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is facing a lawsuit from dozens of states that accuse it of contributing to the youth mental health crisis by designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms.

According to the lawsuit against the company, Match’s apps “leverage recognized dopamine-manipulating product properties” to turn users into “gamblers locked in a quest for psychological rewards that Match deliberately makes elusive.”