{"id":40447,"date":"2021-07-06T06:00:02","date_gmt":"2021-07-06T10:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/?page_id=40447"},"modified":"2023-01-17T15:42:18","modified_gmt":"2023-01-17T20:42:18","slug":"dating-report-2021","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/dating-report-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Love in an algorithmic age"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.d-none-d-initial {display:initial!important}  span.footnotes { position: relative; display: inline-block; border-bottom: 1.5px dashed #333; transition: 0.5s; background: transparent; cursor: pointer; } span.note { position: absolute; width: 300px; opacity: 0; visibility: hidden; left: 0; top: 15px; transform: translateX(-50%); transition: 0.3s; background: white; padding: 15px 20px; box-shadow: 0px 3px 7px #ababab; border-radius: 3px; cursor: initial; } span.footnotes:hover { background: #ffffd5; } span.footnotes:hover .note { opacity: 1; visibility: visible; } .c-wysiwyg h2:not(:first-child),.c-wysiwyg h3:not(:first-child){margin-top:3.5rem} @media(max-width:640px){span.note{position: fixed;top: 50%;left: 50%;transform: translate(-50%,-50%);box-shadow: 0 0 20px 4px #a5a5a5;}}.accent{color: #00a88e; margin: 0;font-size:1.5rem;font-weight: 900;}.c-wysiwyg .accented-list li:before {top:1.15rem}.c-wysiwyg .accented-list li{margin-bottom:1.25rem}.c-wysiwyg hr{border-bottom: 2px solid #00a88e; width: 120px;margin: 1rem 0 1.75rem 0;}@media(min-width: 40.6875rem){.accent{font-size:2rem}.c-wysiwyg .accented-list li:before {top:1.75rem}hr{border-bottom: 2px solid #00a88e; width: 160px;}}.c-wysiwyg ol>li:before{left: -1.85rem; top: -0.25em; font-size: 2.875rem;}.c-wysiwyg ol>li{padding-left: 1rem;}@media (min-width: 55.375rem) { .c-wysiwyg img[src*=\"featured\"] { max-width:66.875rem; width:100vw; margin-left:-9.609375rem; } }.c-article__image-container+p { margin-top: 1.25em; display: flex; }<\/style>\n<h4>A 3-part report about how dating apps have changed the way we meet new people<\/h4>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.kasperskydaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/92\/2021\/07\/05114251\/dating-report-2021-featured.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1460\" height=\"960\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-40497\"><\/p>\n<h3>Swiping right on a new culture<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<p>No matter their age, sexual orientation or country, people all over the world are now using dating apps to make new friends and find romantic partners.<\/p>\n<p>We surveyed over 18,000 people in 27 countries, of whom 84% were either currently using a dating app (37%) or had used one in the past, to learn more about their experiences.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-40481\" src=\"https:\/\/media.kasperskydaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/92\/2021\/07\/03205103\/dating-report-2021-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"762\" height=\"692\">44% of those dating app users feel they actually <em>have<\/em> to use dating apps in order to date.<\/p>\n<p>This massive cultural shift is in full swing at a global scale. And it shows no signs of slowing down.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, 54% agreed that these apps made dating easier and that they enjoyed using them, with 64% saying the suggested matches were good.<\/p>\n<h3>But it\u2019s not all champagne and roses.<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<p>As millions of people around the world adopt these new technologies, there are also real and severe risks to this new culture of finding people online.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-40482\" src=\"https:\/\/media.kasperskydaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/92\/2021\/07\/03205108\/dating-report-2021-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"762\" height=\"539\">Users of these apps \u2013 in particular 18-24 year olds \u2013 are sharing personally identifiable information (53% share their real name) and linking social media accounts to their profiles (25% of people worldwide). In fact, 7% of users were explicitly using dating apps to promote their social media accounts.<\/p>\n<p>The result is that 65% of our respondents are worried about being scammed on these apps.<\/p>\n<p>And worryingly, 15% reported they\u2019ve already been scammed.<\/p>\n<h3>This is a brave new world but it\u2019s also a vulnerable one.<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<p>In this 3-part report, we\u2019ll show you what our survey reveals about:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>How people around the world use dating apps today<\/li>\n<li>How people feel about the role of technology in dating<\/li>\n<li>How people feel about relationships in this brave new world<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Let\u2019s dive in.<\/p>\n<h3>About the research<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<p>The data presented in this report is based on surveys commissioned by Kaspersky and conducted by Sapio Research in June 2021 among 18,658 people in the UK, US, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, UAE, Turkey, Egypt, South Africa, China, Japan, India, Australia, Indonesia, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Russia, Colombia, Chile, Peru, Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary.<\/p>\n<p>This sample includes adults of all ages and sexual orientations.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-40468\" src=\"https:\/\/media.kasperskydaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/92\/2021\/07\/03203532\/dating-report-2021-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2349\" height=\"1487\"><\/p>\n<h3>Key findings<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<ul class=\"accented-list\">\n<li><span class=\"accent\">79%<\/span> succeeded in promoting their social media on dating apps.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"accent\">48%<\/span> of people use dating apps to \u2018meet new people\u2019 making it the most popular reason.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"accent\">15%<\/span> of dating app users have been scammed in some way.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"accent\">64%<\/span> of people felt the algorithm understands their preferences.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"accent\">39%<\/span> of people believe it\u2019s dehumanizing to be rated by an algorithm.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"accent\">42%<\/span> of people have would only date people who were vaccinated or had coronavirus antibodies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">Top 3 most popular dating apps by country<\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/media.kasperskydaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/92\/2021\/07\/06062502\/dating-report-2021-map.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.kasperskydaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/92\/2021\/07\/06062502\/dating-report-2021-map.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"3092\" height=\"2252\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-40499\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Part I: How people around the world use dating apps in 2021<\/h2>\n<h3>People aren\u2019t only using dating apps for dating.<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-40483\" src=\"https:\/\/media.kasperskydaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/92\/2021\/07\/03205111\/dating-report-2021-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"762\" height=\"573\">In fact, the top cited reason for using a dating app is to \u2018meet and interact with new people\u2019 (48%), with 33% of people saying they use dating apps to make friends.<\/p>\n<p>Of those looking to meet new people, 64% have been successful. And 70% of people using apps specifically to make friends felt the same way.<\/p>\n<p>Surprisingly, 8% of people worldwide use dating apps to find jobs and networking opportunities with 66% of them saying they\u2019ve even been successful in this context.<\/p>\n<p>Though it\u2019s worth noting this trend is significantly more prominent in certain countries like the UAE (19%), Egypt (18%), China (23%), India (15%) and Indonesia (21%).<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">How successful have you been in achieving<br>\nthese aims on dating apps?<\/h4>\n<div class=\"infogram-embed\" data-id=\"_\/zjBfywO3INXyvrRF1Dls\" data-type=\"interactive\" data-title=\"dating apps: aims\"><\/div>\n<p><script>!function(e,n,i,s){var d=\"InfogramEmbeds\";var o=e.getElementsByTagName(n)[0];if(window[d]&&window[d].initialized)window[d].process&&window[d].process();else if(!e.getElementById(i)){var r=e.createElement(n);r.async=1,r.id=i,r.src=s,o.parentNode.insertBefore(r,o)}}(document,\"script\",\"infogram-async\",\"https:\/\/e.infogram.com\/js\/dist\/embed-loader-min.js\");<\/script><\/p>\n<h3>Dating apps aren\u2019t just for short-term relationships.<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<p>More than a third of people using dating apps are looking for a significant relationship.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, behind \u2018meeting new people\u2019, the second-most popular reason people use dating apps is to seek out a long-term relationship (41%). However, only 37% of these respondents said they had been successful so far. So even though it\u2019s a popular goal for users, it\u2019s still the hardest to achieve.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile of the 24% who were looking for emotional intimacy, an encouraging 54% said they were successful in finding it. On the other hand, 27% used dating apps to find a sexual partner and 23% stated they were looking for a shorter-term, casual relationship. And more than 60% of people looking for these kinds of relationships were successful thanks to dating apps.<\/p>\n<p>Looking a little closer, there is a disparity in goals between genders. While only 15% of women are using dating apps to find a sexual partner, 37% of men are using it for precisely that reason. Similarly, while 17% of women are looking for a short-term relationship as many as 28% of men use dating apps for that reason.<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, when it comes to long-term relationships there\u2019s a lot more balance with 40% of men and 42% of women stating that\u2019s why they use dating apps.<\/p>\n<h3>But not everyone\u2019s enjoying themselves on dating apps.<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<p>51% of people who\u2019ve never used a dating app say it\u2019s because they prefer meeting people in person. But far more concerning is how many people don\u2019t use dating apps because they fear severe negative consequences.<\/p>\n<p>38% are concerned about being scammed, 34% don\u2019t trust people on dating apps and 12% have friends who\u2019ve had bad experiences. 3% feel they\u2019re too vulnerable because of their sexual orientation.<\/p>\n<p>Even looking at people who do use dating apps, a similar theme emerges.<\/p>\n<p>When asked what they dislike about online dating apps, our respondents cited fake profiles (53%), concerns around sharing personal information (26%) and contact from scammers (21%).<\/p>\n<p>Worryingly, 20% have received rude and inappropriate messages while 6% feel their sexual orientation makes them more vulnerable.<\/p>\n<p>Looking at people who dislike and even delete dating apps because of concerns like these, there\u2019s a clear difference in patterns across genders.<\/p>\n<p>31% of those who disliked apps because of rude messages were women, 22% identified as non-binary and 31% were transgender. Meanwhile only 10% were men. Similarly, 28% of people who deleted apps because someone made them uncomfortable were women, 40% were non-binary and 26% were transgender, while only 14% were men.<\/p>\n<p>For some men, one of the primary concerns with dating apps appears to be around not receiving enough attention. Of the 27% of respondents who deleted a dating app because they didn\u2019t receive enough attention, 37% were men and only 16% were women.<\/p>\n<h3>Fears extend to the real world<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-40485\" src=\"https:\/\/media.kasperskydaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/92\/2021\/07\/03205118\/dating-report-2021-6.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"762\" height=\"670\">When asked why they wouldn\u2019t meet someone in person rather than online, 38% of people said it was because they wanted to get to know someone before they met them.<\/p>\n<p>Culture plays a big role as this percentage varies by country with, for instance, 55% of Indonesians feeling this way compared to just 27% of Hungarians stating the same. At the same time, given this is about safety, it may be no surprise to see 41% of women feeling this way though 35% of men feel the same.<\/p>\n<p>33% said they preferred meeting online first because they\u2019re afraid of rejection and 30% stated they were too embarrassed to start a conversation with a stranger. Understandably, 35% of 18-24 year olds share this concern while only 18% of those older than 65 have this fear.<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">How were you targeted for scamming?<\/h4>\n<div class=\"infogram-embed\" data-id=\"_\/ZnB7AIQx9SBoYbdtvoG5\" data-type=\"interactive\" data-title=\"dating apps: scam\"><\/div>\n<p><script>!function(e,n,i,s){var d=\"InfogramEmbeds\";var o=e.getElementsByTagName(n)[0];if(window[d]&&window[d].initialized)window[d].process&&window[d].process();else if(!e.getElementById(i)){var r=e.createElement(n);r.async=1,r.id=i,r.src=s,o.parentNode.insertBefore(r,o)}}(document,\"script\",\"infogram-async\",\"https:\/\/e.infogram.com\/js\/dist\/embed-loader-min.js\");<\/script><\/p>\n<h3>Scammers loom large.<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-40484\" src=\"https:\/\/media.kasperskydaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/92\/2021\/07\/03205114\/dating-report-2021-5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"762\" height=\"458\">Our survey finds that 15% of people who use dating apps have been scammed through them. 31% weren\u2019t scammed but have been contacted by scammers.<\/p>\n<p>Looking closer at the nature of fraud on these platforms, catfishing is the number one tactic with 51% of those targeted for scamming subject to it.<\/p>\n<p>In 21% of these cases, the scammer sent the user a link or an attachment. While in 29% of cases the user\u2019s identity was stolen.<\/p>\n<p>15% of these people were blackmailed while, unfortunately, in 40% of cases they sent the scammer money (as a gift, for an injury or to pay for travel so they could \u2018meet\u2019). Even worse, 55-64 year olds were most likely to send a fraudster money for travel, representing 20% of cases.<\/p>\n<h3>Stalking, doxing and other threats<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<p>16% of our respondents say they\u2019ve been doxed because of dating apps (though only 5% knew that that\u2019s what it\u2019s called). And 19% say they know someone who\u2019s been doxed.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s concerning is how vulnerable users really are to a litany of threats when using these apps. 17% were stalked on social media by someone they didn\u2019t match with.<\/p>\n<p>12% reported that someone publicly shared a private conversation they\u2019d had with someone they\u2019d matched with.<\/p>\n<p>9% were stalked in real life by someone they didn\u2019t match with and 8% had intimate photos of theirs \u2018leaked\u2019 online.<\/p>\n<h3>Education could prove invaluable.<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<p>While the threat of scammers and other bad actors shouldn\u2019t be underestimated and the damage they cause is all too real to victims, there may be some hope to be gained from those who\u2019ve been contacted by scammers but not given in.<\/p>\n<p>50% of these users said the profile looked fake and 47% said the message seemed auto-generated. While 49% of them stated they never send money on dating apps and 31% of them never share personal information.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-40486\" src=\"https:\/\/media.kasperskydaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/92\/2021\/07\/03205122\/dating-report-2021-7.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"762\" height=\"550\">In fact, 21% became suspicious when the scammer refused a video call.<\/p>\n<p>This suggests that educating users how to spot fake profiles, what to do when they\u2019re dealing with someone suspicious and what not to do when dealing with strangers online may prove key in the fight against these criminals.<\/p>\n<h2>Part II: How people feel about the role of technology in dating<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-40487\" src=\"https:\/\/media.kasperskydaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/92\/2021\/07\/03205126\/dating-report-2021-8.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"762\" height=\"539\">54% of people who use dating apps believe the apps make dating easier and enjoy using them with 64% stating the suggested matches are good for them.<\/p>\n<p>So it\u2019s fair to say that over time, these apps have proven they can be reasonably successful in the various ways people use them.<\/p>\n<p>But it\u2019s important to note how much faith \u2013 and crucially, data \u2013 we\u2019re investing in these apps as well.<\/p>\n<h3>A fear of sharing personal information<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<p>79% of people who use dating apps are revealing at least their actual age with 53% of people making their real name available on the apps.<\/p>\n<p>Worryingly, it\u2019s both the youngest and oldest people who may be at risk. 62% of 18-24 year olds and 40% of those older than 65 share their real names online. While 38% of 18-24 year olds and 62% of people over 65 are sharing their location online.<\/p>\n<p>As previously described, there are a number of ways in which scammers and fraudsters can take advantage of this situation.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, 76% of those who link their dating app profile to social media connect their Instagram accounts to their dating profiles with 58% doing the same for their Facebook profiles. Snapchat and Twitter profiles were both connected by 31% of respondents.<\/p>\n<p>(The older someone is the likelier they are to be connecting their Facebook profile and the younger they are, the likelier they are to be connecting their Instagram and\/or Snapchat.)<\/p>\n<p>The danger of online threats isn\u2019t lost on users of dating apps though. 50% of all users feel nervous when they meet someone they met online for the first time (naturally). But 18% report feeling unsafe.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, 65% state they\u2019re afraid of being scammed, 55% are afraid of being stalked online and 54% are afraid of being stalked in real life.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s worth noting that 45% of men are afraid of being stalked in real life but 64% of women share the same fear.<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">What, if any, other social media or online accounts are \/ were connected to or linked to on your dating app profile?<br>\nSelect all that apply<\/h4>\n<div class=\"infogram-embed\" data-id=\"_\/pE1VjjRitucu6PP5ZxEt\" data-type=\"interactive\" data-title=\"dating apps: social media\"><\/div>\n<p><script>!function(e,n,i,s){var d=\"InfogramEmbeds\";var o=e.getElementsByTagName(n)[0];if(window[d]&&window[d].initialized)window[d].process&&window[d].process();else if(!e.getElementById(i)){var r=e.createElement(n);r.async=1,r.id=i,r.src=s,o.parentNode.insertBefore(r,o)}}(document,\"script\",\"infogram-async\",\"https:\/\/e.infogram.com\/js\/dist\/embed-loader-min.js\");<\/script><\/p>\n<h3>Mixed feelings about the role of the \u2018algorithm\u2019<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<p>64% of people felt the algorithm understands their preferences with 69% of 18-24 year olds in particular feeling this way.<\/p>\n<p>44% of respondents said they would trust AI or an algorithm to find them a compatible match.<\/p>\n<p>And 43% went so far as to say they prefer to <em>only <\/em>see people who have been determined to be a good match by an algorithm.<\/p>\n<p>Yet on the other hand, 39% find it \u2018dehumanizing\u2019 to be sorted by an algorithm while 56% don\u2019t believe an algorithm can truly capture the complexity needed to understand attraction.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, 58% of people state they\u2019d rather have equal access to everyone on an app than have an algorithm sort people for them.<\/p>\n<p>So, while there\u2019s no doubt about the mass adoption of these stats, it\u2019s fair to say users are still split on how good they are for us in the long run and even how effective they are right now.<\/p>\n<p>30% of respondents felt that dating apps made it easier to start dating but made the subsequent process far more complicated.<\/p>\n<h3>Dating since the pandemic<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-40488\" src=\"https:\/\/media.kasperskydaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/92\/2021\/07\/03205130\/dating-report-2021-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"762\" height=\"539\">The pandemic changed a lot about dating and meeting people.<\/p>\n<p>A big part of the cause for that is undoubtedly people\u2019s concerns over their physical health and safety. In fact, 42% of people have gone so far as to say they would only date people who were vaccinated or who had coronavirus antibodies.<\/p>\n<h3>Can new social conventions beget smarter apps?<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<p>The prevalence of dating apps has, in some critical ways, made dating a lot safer for people. For instance, 72% of people stated they prefer a video or phone call before meeting someone they\u2019ve met online, in person.<\/p>\n<p>And most users who decide to meet someone in person do so within the first 2 weeks (59%) with a further 25% of people meeting within the first month.<\/p>\n<p>In this context, apps help enforce an important social convention for those interacting on the web \u2013 users can filter for fraudsters and scammers themselves, to some extent, by insisting on a phone or video call before meeting.<\/p>\n<p>Not only would this reduce the number of times scammers get closer to victims. 62% of respondents also stated that their preference is to only be contacted by people they\u2019ve already shown an interest in.<\/p>\n<p>As apps hone their algorithms to find better matches, this may be another way in which app design can keep users safe and happy.<\/p>\n<h3>What about virtual companions?<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<p>On the lighter side of things, 27% of respondents actually predicted that in the future people wouldn\u2019t be able to tell the difference between a real person and AI.<\/p>\n<p>55% of respondents stated they would not consider being in a relationship with a virtual AI companion while 14% stated they would consider it. 23% responded \u2018maybe\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>Curiously, 8% stated they had already been in a relationship with one and would consider it again.<\/p>\n<h2>III: How people feel about relationships in an algorithmic age<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-40489\" src=\"https:\/\/media.kasperskydaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/92\/2021\/07\/03205133\/dating-report-2021-10.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"762\" height=\"415\">As more people use apps to meet new people, this technology starts to have a fundamental impact on the nature of human relationships themselves.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some of the ways people perceive dating apps changing relationships.<\/p>\n<h3>The perceived decline of monogamy<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<p>41% of our respondents feel dating apps have led to the increase of casual relationships with 37% believing people are more likely to be talking to several prospective partners at the same time.<\/p>\n<p>21% believe apps have increased non-monogamy and 27% think people will now have more relationships in their lifetime than they used to while 21% think people will spend less time being single now.<\/p>\n<p>Conversely, 34% of people actually predict that people will find it easier to leave relationships because of dating apps.<\/p>\n<h3>The perceived rise of superficiality<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-40490\" src=\"https:\/\/media.kasperskydaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/92\/2021\/07\/03205136\/dating-report-2021-11.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"762\" height=\"679\">29% of people believe dating apps encourage people to be more superficial. Related to the perceived decline of monogamy, 26% of our respondents believe that others are now less likely to invest in relationships because of dating apps.<\/p>\n<p>Although given the dangers we\u2019ve previously discussed, it\u2019s also likely a lot of this behavior is simply down to fear.<\/p>\n<p>23% of our respondents believe that people are likelier to be scared of meeting someone offline now. And 19% believe people are less likely to pursue relationships if they first met the other person offline.<\/p>\n<h3>Looking forward<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<p>When asked how dating apps will change relationships over the next 30 years, respondents predicted a continuation of a lot of the trends we already see today.<\/p>\n<p>35% feel that apps will be the way most people meet their partners in the future.<\/p>\n<p>14% believe it will become inappropriate to even pursue relationships in person, suggesting that social norms and etiquette will continue to evolve in a way that accommodates apps as the primary channel for dating.<\/p>\n<p>Most hopefully, 33% of people believe that dating apps will ensure more people from different backgrounds find each other. And another 33% anticipate a rise in purely online relationships.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-40477\" src=\"https:\/\/media.kasperskydaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/92\/2021\/07\/03203625\/dating-report-2021-12.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2200\" height=\"1151\"><\/p>\n<h3>A new frontier for love<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<p>At this stage there can be little doubt that dating apps have become one of the most important ways for people to make new relationships. Only 28% of people believe you don\u2019t <em>have <\/em>to use dating apps to date.<\/p>\n<p>At the same time, it\u2019s important to be cognizant of the very real threats these technologies inadvertently bring with them.<\/p>\n<p>In the immediate term, keeping people safe has to be the priority. Both for users themselves and the businesses behind these hugely popular technologies.<\/p>\n<p>In the longer term, it\u2019s also worth keeping an eye on how we as people are adapting to these technologies as well.<\/p>\n<p>32% of people believe dating algorithms will become more sophisticated and accurate. At the same time, 39% of people believe it\u2019s dehumanizing to be rated by an algorithm in the first place. And 56% feel that algorithms can\u2019t capture the complexity of what it takes to attract one person to another.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s clear is that dating apps have given millions and millions of users the world over the ability to meet new people and forge new relationships in a way humans have never known before.<\/p>\n<p>But it\u2019s also clear that many need education on dealing with strangers online and over time, these businesses need to hone their anti-fraud capabilities as much as their algorithms.<\/p>\n<p>This is a brave new world but it doesn\u2019t have to be a vulnerable one.<\/p>\n<p>With better education for users, significantly better anti-fraud protocols and new social conventions that enable people to protect themselves, dating apps can establish themselves as both the most popular <em>and <\/em>the safest way for people to find love in the 21<sup>st<\/sup> century.<\/p>\n<h3>About Kaspersky<\/h3>\n<hr>\n<p>Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company founded in 1997. Kaspersky\u2019s deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into innovative security solutions and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, governments and consumers around the globe. The company\u2019s comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint protection and a number of specialized security solutions and services to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. Over 400 million users are protected by Kaspersky technologies and we help 240,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them. Learn more at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">www.kaspersky.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A 3-part report about how dating apps have changed the way we meet new people Swiping right on a new culture No matter their age, sexual orientation or country, people<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2706,"featured_media":40497,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"class_list":["post-40447","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail"],"hreflang":[{"hreflang":"x-default","url":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/dating-report-2021\/"}],"acf":[],"banners":"","is_landing":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/40447","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2706"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40447"}],"version-history":[{"count":29,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/40447\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46863,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/40447\/revisions\/46863"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40497"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40447"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40447"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}