Tinder, Hinge Operator Sued for Making Dating Apps Addictive
(NEWSnet/AP) — Stuck in a dating app loop with no date in sight? A lawsuit filed Wednesday against Match Group claims that is by design.
Tinder, Hinge and other Match dating apps are filled with addictive features that encourage “compulsive” use, the proposed class-action lawsuit claims.
The lawsuit filed on Wednesday — Valentine’s Day — alleges Match intentionally designs its dating platforms with game-like features that “lock users into a perpetual pay-to-play loop” prioritizing profit over promises to help users find relationships.
This, the suit claims, turns users into “addicts” who purchase ever-more-expensive subscriptions to access special features that promise romance and matches.
Though it focuses on adults, the lawsuit comes as tech companies face increasing scrutiny over addictive features that harm young people’s mental health. Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, for instance, faces a lawsuit by dozens of states accusing it of contributing to the youth mental health crisis.
Match has not responded to the lawsuit.
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