Over 900 people took part in the Dating App Connections project, leading to the creation of a series of resources and guidance on how to use dating apps in a safe and fun way.
Professor Brian Heaphy , Dr Jaime Garcia Iglesias and Dr Neta Yodovich from the Dating App ConnectionsWith as many as 1 in 10 people in the UK using dating apps, connecting with others online is part of everyday life. Over 900 LGBTQ+ and heterosexual dating app users took part in the research, and they told us that they used dating apps to find ’the one’, to arrange hookups, for friendship, to make them feel less lonely, to pass the time or even for tourism tips.
Lots of people who used apps to connect with others found them useful, but others were dissatisfied. Some people were dissatisfied because the apps didn’t help them achieve their aims and others experienced discrimination or abuse.
The team have also produced a Guide to Using Dating Apps aimed at individuals using, or considering using, apps. It covers the advantages and disadvantages of using dating apps plus important considerations around ethics, security and privacy.
The widespread use of dating apps has led public health and sexual health practitioners to use them as a way of sharing health messages with users, but this raises additional ethical concerns. Dating apps and health promotion: a guide for practitioners and organisations addresses these issues.
The project is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) (reference: ES/W002426/1)
