Catfishing Is Killing Tinder 58% Of Dating App Users Are Concerned About Catfishing

In this day and age your quest for love might never have felt more pressing. In today’s fast world of technology and convenience we asked ourselves if dating apps can really boost your dating life.

Actually, we did one better and asked 1,000 singletons in the US and here’s what they had to say.

Are dating apps your preferred way of meeting someone you would like to go on a date with?

Yes

31.17%

20.51%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

26.06%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

24.68%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

17.45%

52.57%

54.34%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

53.94%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

56.49%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

45.64%

I don't use dating apps

16.26%

25.15%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

20.00%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

18.83%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

36.91%

Verdict

It's fairly clear that the majority of people across all three generations would rather NOT get their date from an app.

If no, how would you prefer to meet someone?

Mutual Friend Man raising hand emoji

65.98%

74.38%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

76.03%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

67.57%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

66.18%

At events (e.g. music festivals, sporting event) Musical keyboard emoji

53.09%

61.16%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

60.30%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

60.36%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

44.12%

Through a social groups/classes Notepad emoji

44.85%

55.10%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

55.81%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

50.90%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

36.76%

At a bar/ club / party Clinking Glasses emoji

45.36%

38.84%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

47.19%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

38.29%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

26.47%

Through work Man working on laptop emoji

34.02%

34.16%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

35.21%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

34.68%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

27.94%

Other, please specify Beach emoji

5.15%

4.68%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

1.87%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

6.31%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

11.76%

Speed Dating Alarm clock emoji

5.15%

3.58%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

3.37%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

5.86%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

1.47%

Verdict

It seems that fear of the unknown could be holding some people back on wanting to find love online as meeting someone through a mutual friend is the top choice. Makes sense, they're already 'vetted' in that case and you have at least one thing - person - in common!

In the last 12 months, how did you meet people you went on dates with?

Mutual Friend Woman emoji

41.46%

29.34%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

39.60%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

29.77%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

24.16%

Dating app Mobile phone emoji

31.98%

24.85%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

27.68%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

31.55%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

15.44%

I have not been on a date in the last 12 months Woman shrugging emoji

19.24%

29.49%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

19.19%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

28.75%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

40.27%

At a bar

21.41%

14.82%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

13.13%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

24.17%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

12.08%

I have never been on a date Man gesturing no emoji

14.91%

15.72%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

19.19%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

11.45%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

13.42%

Other, please specify Stadium emoji

4.07%

6.74%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

5.45%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

7.12%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

3.36%

Speed Dating Alarm clock emoji

3.79%

2.54%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

4.04%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

2.29%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

1.34%

Verdict

And in the last 12 months, of those who have dated, the majority met their date through a mutual friend, closely followed in second place by a dating app. Speed dating was the least popular for generating dates.

What, if anything, do/would you dislike about dating apps?

Percentage respondents worried about catfishing

TOTAL RESPONDENTS

57.76%

GEN Z (18-25 y.o)

63.43%

What, if anything, do you look for in people when using dating apps?

Personality Man dancing emoji

64.40%

73.00%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

71.97%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

71.79%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

53.19%

Shared interests Video game emoji

55.99%

65.20%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

62.12%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

64.26%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

51.06%

Age

56.96%

61.00%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

64.39%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

56.43%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

48.94%

Looks

57.93%

51.80%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

54.29%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

56.74%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

44.68%

Location

41.42%

51.40%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

46.21%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

50.47%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

43.62%

Profession Male cook emoji

22.65%

34.60%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

30.81%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

31.97%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

20.21%

Height

21.68%

33.80%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

32.07%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

28.53%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

19.15%

Great profile Sparkle emoji

30.42%

28.20%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

28.03%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

33.54%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

18.09%

Religion

16.50%

20.20%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

17.68%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

21.00%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

15.96%

Nationality United Nations flag emoji

16.50%

14.40%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

14.39%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

14.73%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

20.21%

There is nothing I look for in people when using dating apps Smiling halo face emoji

5.83%

8.80%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

7.07%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

5.96%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

15.96%

Other, please specify Love letter emoji

0.32%

2.00%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

2.82%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

2.13%

Verdict

Despite the swiping nature of dating apps, people rate personality as the most important factor when looking for a date. Millennials are flying the shallow flag as they’re the generation that cares most about looks. Generally though, men care more than women about looks and women care about height. Whilst shared interests and age jostle for second place, religion matters to twice as many women as men.

What, if any, are your reasons for using a dating app?

Make new friends

Male

43.04%

Female

39.00%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

39.14%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

43.26%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

37.23%

Bored

Male

37.86%

Female

38.20%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

43.94%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

36.36%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

19.15%

Want to meet a life partner

Male

32.04%

Female

36.00%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

30.56%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

40.75%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

29.79%

Want something casual

Male

42.39%

Female

27.40%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

36.62%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

29.47%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

30.85%

Move on from a break-up

Male

21.36%

Female

25.20%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

27.53%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

22.57%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

11.70%

Boost self-esteem

Male

20.71%

Female

17.20%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

22.47%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

17.55%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

5.32%

I have no reason for using a dating app

Male

9.39%

Female

14.60%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

12.12%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

10.34%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

22.34%

Other, please specify

Male

0.97%

Female

2.00%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

0.76%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

2.51%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

2.13%

Verdict

All that time on social media seeing everyone living their best life takes its toll so it's no wonder that 22.5% of GenZ uses dating apps to boost their self-esteem compared to just 5% of GenX. GenZ are most likely to use them to combat boredom too. Ah, today’s youth…

What is the most amount of dates you have been on with someone you’ve met on a dating app?

1 date

33.94%

37.75%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

39.83%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

31.06%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

40.00%

2 dates

18.41%

21.12%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

18.90%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

20.82%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

22.35%

3-4 dates

28.16%

22.92%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

26.16%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

26.62%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

14.12%

5-6 dates

8.66%

9.66%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

9.30%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

9.22%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

9.41%

7-9 dates

8.30%

5.17%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

4.36%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

7.85%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

9.41%

10+, please specify

2.53%

3.37%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

1.45%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

4.44%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

4.71%

Verdict

Whilst there are many 'success' stories of dating apps where people find their life partner, for our singletons that isn't the case. The majority of them admit to only going on one date with the people they meet on dating apps. Love is not in the air.

How likely or unlikely is it that you would end up in a relationship with someone you have matched with on a dating app?

Very likely

16.53%

7.78%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

10.91%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

11.20%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

10.07%

Somewhat likely

21.95%

23.95%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

24.44%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

25.19%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

14.09%

Neither likely nor unlikely

33.60%

29.34%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

28.28%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

34.61%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

29.53%

Somewhat unlikely

9.76%

12.28%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

15.56%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

7.63%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

7.38%

Very unlikely

18.16%

26.65%

Gen Z (18-25 y.o)

20.81%

Millennials (26-40 y.o)

21.37%

Gen X (41-55 y.o)

38.93%

Verdict

It seems old habits do indeed die hard with GenX coming out as the least likely to find 'the one' on a dating app. Back to the pub for them, then?

Expert Quotes

Megan Harrison
Relationship Therapist and creator of Couples Candy

The online dating platform has grown exponentially over the last two decades. It's funny to think that once upon a time, using the internet to find a partner was seen as being strange to say the least. It's important to note that the online dating industry is actually now worth $2 billion a year, and there are no signs of dating apps and websites slowing down because the industry is predicting growth of 6% per year for the foreseeable future.

In my experience, I can say that the online dating world is vast and hard to measure, and despite the scale of online dating, it is still the least preferable way to find a date. In today's age, as humans we are able to present ourselves in our very best light online. We can choose which exact photos to upload on our profiles, and think about what we say carefully before we hit 'send' to messages. It is difficult through an online process to evaluate a suitable partner, and many first dates are often a total disaster because of a lack of any sort of genuine connection.

A large proportion of people use dating apps and websites as a form of immediate gratification and validation. Matches and compliments from potential suitors light up the pleasure sensor in our brain, and this can become addictive. We can then begin to wonder how many active users on dating websites and apps are truly seeking love?

Data and information collected in 2020.

Data

Sources

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