Tinder's Green Flags Study Reveals Dating Challenges Stem From Assumptions, As Tinder Rebrands To Prioritize Meaningful, In-person Connections.
Forget the pandemic. Tinder believes we’re now facing an “assumptions epidemic.” In its recently released Green Flags Study, the world’s most popular dating app analyzed heterosexual dating app behaviors in 2024, surveying 8,000 men and women across the US, UK, Australia, and Canada. The study aimed to understand why dating has become more challenging despite the connectivity offered by apps like Tinder. The key finding? Our own assumptions are holding us back.
The study revealed that 91% of men and 94% of women find dating more difficult. With countless romantic comedies at our fingertips, it's easy to feel disheartened by the lack of cinematic meet-cutes in our daily lives. Yet, Tinder suggests that long-term romance is far from dead. While 65% of women believe men are only looking for casual flings, the survey showed that only 29% of men felt this way, with 53% seeking a romantic relationship.
This comes at a time when dating apps are losing their appeal among younger generations. A Generation Lab survey of 978 college students found that 79% do not use dating apps regularly, preferring to meet people in real life. Additionally, 71% reported avoiding hookup culture in the past year or more. Tinder, often labeled the “hookup dating app,” has felt the impact, with direct revenue dropping 5% from $509 million in Q3 of 2023 to $482 million in Q1 of 2024, and a 9% decline in payers.
In response to this trend, Tinder is attempting a rebrand to prioritize meaningful, long-term connections and facilitate in-person interactions. Over the past year, Tinder has updated its community guidelines and moderation practices to improve the quality of its ecosystem, removing users who misuse the app. To build trust, Tinder introduced a “share my date” feature and plans to require face photos later this summer.
To counter the notion that it fosters instant online gratification, Tinder has added a feature where users can indicate if they prefer to communicate in person. As Leyla Guilany-Lyard, Tinder’s global head of communications, puts it, “We don’t want people to stay hours on our app.”