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Dating apps inspire authentic connections

Dating apps break down barriers and broaden horizons

ASU student flashes her iPhone screen showing her tinder app ouside of Taylor Place Friday, Jan. 27.
ASU student flashes her iPhone screen showing her tinder app ouside of Taylor Place Friday, Jan. 27.

Dating apps have a bad rep. Our families believe they’re ruining our ability to connect with others or that they're used for wild sexcapades. Vanity Fair called Tinder the “Dawn of the Apocalypse.”  

In reality, most of us just use dating apps to have a little fun. They’re not dangerous or indecent, and we’re not mindlessly dating our phones. The world is certainly not coming to an end. Dating apps encourage better connections with more people.

Just because dating doesn't look like it once did, doesn't mean that romance is dead. We’re just going about it differently.

“This change in the way people are dating isn’t inherently positive or negative. It just depends on how you use it,” Dawn Gilpin, Ph.D in mass media and communication and associate professor of social media at ASU said. “The mobile apps are helping us understand that there aren’t these strict boundaries between our online and offline relationships. The connections we make online are not so different from those we make face-to-face.”

Many people argue that dating apps facilitate hookup culture. While some people do use these apps as a means to enjoy a one-night stand, studies have shown that millennials seek authenticity above all else. Dating apps break down barriers – with a simple swipe we notify someone that we’re interested. There are less games being played. 

There's also the concern that these apps are used as platforms to harass women. While this is a significant issue, it happens both on- and offline. Much of online harassment is the equivalent of catcalling in person. The real issue here is sexism. 

In response, Bumble was created. This app allows only women to make the first move, limiting the amount of negative interactions they have.

Another issue dating app opponents bring up is that there are so many options that people begin to feel unsatisfied. In fact, these opponents are just using the wrong app. For example, Coffee Meets Bagel is a dating app that allows you to have one connection a day, effectively ending this problem.

Dating apps also allow us to be more upfront about what we’re looking for. Most people will say outright if they’re exclusively looking for sex, and there are specific dating apps designed for deeper connections. Dating apps allow us to stop wasting time and meet people who are looking for the same level of commitment. 

“Since we were strangers there was nothing to hide,” Melody Palencia, 21-year-old friend, said of her experience meeting her current boyfriend through Tinder. “There was nothing to gain with lies. We allowed ourselves to be honest.”

These apps allow us to broaden our dating horizons. Without dating apps, we often get stuck within our immediate friend groups, and things can get awkward fast. Dating apps connect us with people in different circles, industries and even countries.

These apps also allow us to make time for dating in our never-ending to-do list. Millennials have very specific career goals that limit our time, and these apps make it easier to set a quick coffee date between classes or grab a drink after work. Dating apps aren’t inhibiting authentic connections, they’re making them happen faster.

These apps also encourage better friendships. If you see a person you think your friend would like, many apps allow you to “recommend” that person to your friends. 

Tinder even has a group date feature which allows users to collectively take part in dating culture.

Dating apps are just making our lives easier, which is what technology is supposed to do. They help us make time in our busy schedules for a little fun, facilitate connections and help us to gain a better understanding of qualities we value in others.They’re not evil hookup tools created to kill romance. 


Reach the columnist at sljorda4@asu.edu or follow @skyjordan4 on Twitter.

Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.

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