Match Group Faces Lawsuit Over 'Compulsive' Dating App Use: Allegations of Addictive Features Prioritising Profit
Lawsuit claims dating apps like Tinder and Hinge encourage "compulsive" use. Match Group accused of designing addictive features that prioritise profit over relationships. Lawsuit seeks class action status and alleges that Match fosters addiction to drive expensive subscriptions
Tinder, Hinge, and other dating apps are facing a lawsuit that claims they encourage "compulsive" use among their users. The lawsuit, filed against Match Group on Valentine's Day, alleges that these dating apps are designed with addictive features that keep users hooked and prioritise profit over helping them find meaningful relationships.
The proposed class-action lawsuit, filed in federal court in the Northern District of California, accuses Match of intentionally creating a "perpetual pay-to-play loop" that turns users into "addicts." It claims that the company's business model relies on monopolising users' attention and driving them to purchase expensive subscriptions for access to special features that promise romance and matches.
The lawsuit, brought by six dating app users, seeks class action status. It argues that Match has guaranteed its market success by fostering addiction to their dating apps, leading to costly subscriptions and continuous use.
Match Group, based in Dallas, has not yet responded to the lawsuit or provided any comment on the matter.
While the lawsuit primarily focuses on adults, it comes at a time when tech companies are facing increased scrutiny over the addictive nature of their platforms and the impact on young people's mental health. Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is currently facing a lawsuit by multiple states, accusing it of contributing to the youth mental health crisis through the design of features that addict children to their platforms.
According to the lawsuit against Match, the company's apps employ dopamine-manipulating features that turn users into "gamblers" in search of psychological rewards deliberately made elusive by Match.
Lawsuit claims dating apps like Tinder and Hinge encourage "compulsive" use
Match Group accused of designing addictive features that prioritise profit over relationships
Lawsuit seeks class action status and alleges that Match fosters addiction to drive expensive subscriptions
Source: AP NEWS