Are you stuck in an endless loop of swipes with no date in sight? A proposed class-action lawsuit against Match Group, filed on Valentine’s Day, alleges that dating apps like Tinder and Hinge are intentionally designed with addictive features, fostering “compulsive” use.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in the Northern District of California, contends that Match deliberately incorporates game-like elements that create a “perpetual pay-to-play loop,” prioritizing profit over the promised goal of helping users find meaningful relationships. According to the lawsuit, this design strategy transforms users into “addicts” who continuously purchase increasingly expensive subscriptions, enticed by special features promising romance and matches.
The lawsuit, seeking class action status and initiated by six dating app users, claims that Match’s business model relies on monopolizing users’ attention, fostering dating app addiction, and driving costly subscriptions and perpetual use.
While the focus is on adults, the lawsuit reflects the growing scrutiny faced by tech companies for developing features that negatively impact the mental health of young users. Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is currently facing a lawsuit by multiple states, accusing it of contributing to a youth mental health crisis by designing addictive features on its platforms.
The lawsuit against Match Group alleges that the company’s apps utilize “dopamine-manipulating product features,” transforming users into “gamblers” in a quest for psychological rewards intentionally made elusive by Match. As tech companies face heightened awareness regarding the impact of addictive features, this legal action sheds light on the potential consequences of dating apps designed to encourage compulsive usage.