Dating apps are becoming less popular
For nearly two decades, smartphones have played a huge role in romance, love and dating. Dozens of apps have been created to make it easier to meet a partner. However, dating app companies seem to be in trouble. The world's two largest companies have lost more than $40 billion in market value since 2021. Workers for these companies are losing their jobs. The reason for this is that fewer young people are paying to use the apps. The app companies rely on subscriptions to make a profit. However, many teenagers and people in their twenties no longer want to subscribe to use dating apps. Instead, they are choosing to use free platforms like Snapchat and TikTok to find romance.
In 2017, NBC News predicted that by 2040, the percentage of couples meeting online would be 70 per cent. Today in the United States, 30 per cent of adults, and over half of adults under 30, use dating apps. About a third of dating app users say they pay for them. However, times are changing. Younger people around the world have less money to spend on things like apps. The New York Times interviewed young people about dating apps. One 18-year-old student said she preferred to meet people in person or through direct messages on social media. She said dating apps were for "casual use, like a game". She added that none of her friends paid for them. She thought that paying for an app was a no-no.
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Chat
Talk about these words from the article.
two decades / smartphones / romance / love / dating / jobs / subscriptions / profit / couples / adults / dating apps / meeting people / direct messages / social media
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True / False
1) Online dating has been around for thirty years. T / F
2) The article said there are hundreds of online dating apps. T / F
3) Fewer young people want to pay for an online dating app. T / F
4) Many people are using platforms like TikTok instead of dating apps. T / F
5) Thirty per cent of adults in the USA use dating apps. T / F
6) Younger people are richer but do not want to buy dating apps. T / F
7) A student said she prefers to meet people in person rather than online. T / F
8) Some of the student's friends have paid for a dating app. T / F
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Discussion
What do you think about what you read?
Is using an app the best way to find a partner?
Do you prefer meeting people in person or online?
In what way are dating apps like a game?
What are the worst things about dating apps?
What will dating be like in the future?
Is using dating apps a no-no?
What questions would you like to ask the app makers?
