By Burt Glass
Reports of the death of dating apps, as Mark Twain might say, are greatly exaggerated.
That’s one finding of the latest Media & Technology Survey, out today, from the Communication Research Center at Boston University’s College of Communication.
Last year, media outlets reported major dating platforms, such as Bumble and Tinder, saw big declines in users. But the Boston University survey suggests a slight uptick in both current dating app users and the number of people who have ever used a dating app.
Thirteen percent of respondents said they currently use a dating app, compared with 9% in last year’s survey. Thirty-three percent said they have used a dating app at some point, more than last year (28%).
Similarly, nearly half of respondents (49%) agreed or strongly agreed that people can find their soulmate on a dating app, up from last year (42%). Only 13% disagreed or strongly disagreed.
“Despite some skepticism, dating apps are ultimately too easy to abandon,” said Kathryn Coduto, assistant professor at Boston University College of Communication and designer of the survey. “Users might not be logging in everyday, but the convenience of the dating pool in your pocket makes it too tempting to completely stop using them.