Tinder, Hinge, Match Group sued over 'addictive' dating apps

Many of us have had bad experiences of being swiped left, ghosted, breadcrumbed, and benched on internet dating apps but a few people have thought to take their heartbreak to court, The Guardian reported.

On Valentine’s Day, six dating app users filed a lawsuit accusing Tinder, Hinge, and Match of using addictive, game-like features to encourage compulsive use.

The complaint alleges that Match's applications "employ recognised dopamine-manipulating product features" to trap users into becoming "gamblers locked in a search for psychological rewards that Match makes elusive on purpose."

Match called the complaint "ridiculous" but experts in online dating said it was part of a larger reaction against the way applications were gamifying the human experience for financial gain and making users feel taken advantage of.

The author of "The Future of Seduction," Mia Levitin, said, "I'm not at all surprised that this has come to litigation. I think big tech is the new big tobacco, as smartphones are just as addictive as cigarettes."

Although it is difficult to establish causality, one study found that couples who meet online are slightly more likely to have less stable and fulfilling marriages as compared to others.

According to Natasha McKeever, a lecturer at Leeds University, "Dating apps appear to encourage bad behaviours such as ghosting, breadcrumbing, and backburner relationships. 

"This could be because having a dating app in your pocket can make you feel that a better partner for you could always just be one swipe away."

A recent survey found that millennials spend 10 hours a week on dating apps and are addicted to scrolling, just like social media, which has a detrimental effect on their mental health.