It’s undeniable that dating apps have changed modern datingculture and the collective growing distrust and fatigue singles are feelingtowards the apps is steadily rising. There’s plenty to unpack in how theseplatforms are affecting romantic relationships and redefining our outlook onintimacy. The shift comes as no great surprise considering the greater contextof social changes currently going on. The trend towards hyper-individualism,‘main character energy’, political polarization, pushback against women’srights, and the fragility of white male entitlement, is all being amplified byonline platforms.

Superficiality, ghosting, disrespect and lack of accountabilityonline is off the charts. There’s a sad irony in how offensive behaviour hasbecome normalised in digital spaces fundamentally designed for humanconnection. It's like we're collectively losing our social skills in this newnormal, economy of digital social exchanges.  Academics researching digital intimacyare describing what most of us already feel with some truly depressing findingson the impacts of dating apps, the rise of hook-up culture, ‘situationships’and how we're connecting more broadly. It seems there's an actual upward trendin difficulty forming long-lasting bonds and real intimacy.

Ten years ago Vanity Fairsounded the alarm with its sensationally titled article “Tinder and the Dawn ofthe Dating Apocalypse,” arguing that dating apps had ushered in ahit-it-and-quit-it hookup culture driven by instant gratification. The piecedepicted Tinder as a game rigged in favour of the boys, bleakly suggesting thatwhen faced with a perceived abundance of options, men pursue a short-termmating strategy and no longer have any reason to commit to seriousrelationships. Described as the “UberEATS of relationships” dating apps areblamed for contributing to the commodification of individuals and encouraging adisposability akin to mass consumption. With endless potential matchesjust a swipe away, contemporary culture has become accustomed to having aseemingly endless supply of potential romantic and sexual partners.Relationships have become a form of entertainment, a gamified“relationshipshopping” experience where users can date secure in the knowledgethey can always return to the marketplace for another bout of shopping. Thisis redefining views on relationships and intimacy within modern society,leading some academics to argue that dating apps represent a shift towards a"post-romantic" view of love, where relationships are seen asefficient and risk-free interactions, neglecting the emotional complexities andvulnerabilities of true intimacy.