The “app” in dating apps is for appearance

Vuyiswa Fumba

The marking feature of dating apps is the ease with which one can sort through potential suitors. On mainstream apps like Tinder and Bumble, you see someone’s face first and if you don’t like what you see, you can simply swipe it away. A research study from Michigan State University found that most swipes are made in less than a second. Among a small sample of UP students, swipes are often made in less than 5 seconds, with the average being 3 seconds. Such a fast transition from seeing the face of a potential match for the first time and making the decision to whoosh it away begs the question of what influences that decision.

Along with the fast paced changes in technology during the late 1900s came the progression of almost every aspect of life, including dating. The very first smartphone emerged around 1993 and shortly after that came the very first online dating site, Match.com - a huge step up in convenience and novelty when compared to matchmaking questionnaires that were the only form of ‘online’ dating back then. The new era of online dating has put the power into the hands of the user and continues to do that today. On apps such as Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble, the images one chooses on their profile are particularly important because that is the first thing that others will come across. So have dating apps made us more superficial - well, yes they have.

Dating apps emphasise physical appearances. From prompting new users to choose pictures that highlight their best features to showing pictures first and bios later (where some apps even forego bios and allow users to use pictures only), it is clear to any user that the nature of online dating is rather superficial and physical attraction is essential to their success, at least at first. It is possible to build a meaningful romantic relationship from a dating app and particularly through this looks-focussed approach, especially if one values physical appearance in a partner. However, dating apps tend to champion appearances over a genuine connection, to the disadvantage of those who do not consider potential partners’ appearances as the highest factor when dating. Tinder is now infamously known as a hookup app due to its intensive focus on pictures. There is even a new feature called “Best Photo” that optimises dating profiles to show the pictures that get the most right swipes first. Not only can this be a vain method of forging an authentic connection but, viewing other people through the lens of their appearance can cause one to view themself that way too and hence, heighten insecurity. One could argue, “well, am I not rejecting the same people online as I would be in person”. Yet, one’s physical appearance is just as important in real life, if not more so because there is no bio to supplement one’s validity as a prospect. Not being “easy on the eyes’’ or not appealing to certain people (due to their preferences and what they find attractive) is bound to produce fewer prospects, both online and in person.

The apps are framed around their users and this is clear given the fact that the average swipe is made in less than five seconds of seeing a profile. It takes longer to watch a YouTube ad. However, face-to-face interactions can turn platonic connections into romantic possibilities and many people can attest to the change of heart they experienced once they got to know someone past the initial attraction, (or lack thereof) and embraced someone’s deeper qualities. Online dating can forfeit that possibility and can lead to many people finding the process inauthentic in the long run.

But these apps can include other aspects of dating in their algorithms. Hinge is a dating app that facilitates a more extensive profile by prompting users to fill out each prompt and build a thorough bio before they can begin to match with people. Its slogan is; “the dating app designed to be deleted.” So, there are apps that pull their interfaces away from superficiality and try to afford users the best opportunity to make genuine connections.

Another main allure of dating apps is an increased amount of options. Much like social media apps, it can feel like the content never runs out.

There is always another face to be swiped on - which can create the illusion of endless options which is a far stray from the truth of dating which is often less open. However, there can also be a lot of disillusionment with the process of online dating when pitfalls such as someone not looking like their profile pictures, a classic catfish, or a Tinder Swindler situation. There could also be the chance that physical attraction is all you have in common and other qualities have been ignored, leading to the early detriment of many Tinder matches.

On the contrary, many people that have found that dating apps have not made them more superficial; instead, they have improved dating experiences because of the ease with which they can expand their dating pool. Queer people have an easier way to connect and people who are often compromised in social situations, such as people who are disabled, can navigate dating on their terms by enjoying some of the other features of dating apps like narrow filtering and geolocation settings.

Have dating apps made us more superficial? Perhaps so, perhaps not. Although Tinder has gained the reputation of being a casual hookup app, it has amassed 75 million active users, many of whom are hoping to find serious relationships from the masses of hopefuls, some of whom will be successful. Although many people know that superficiality is something that they will either have to assume or entertain when deciding to use dating apps, they continue to flock to these apps daily. It seems in either situation, whether offline or online, superficiality is and might always be a factor at play. Thus, the question changes from whether dating apps have made us all more superficial to have dating apps improved our overall dating experiences. Superficiality and all.