Can You Trust The Algorithms On Dating Sites To Find Your Soulmate?

The emergence and development of online dating platforms on the web has greatly influenced how people meet, communicate and move from dating to a full relationship.

Recently, Kaspersky conducted research in which more than 18,000 people from 27 countries took part. The main goal was to understand how much dating platforms have changed the principles of communication on the Internet and how popular they are in general.

The results are very revealing:

• 84% of respondents admitted to using dating sites and apps at least once in their lives.
• 37% are using them right now.
• 54% of respondents said that such platforms really make dating in the modern world easier.
• 33% admitted to using dating apps to "meet new people". Many are looking for friends here, not a soulmate.
• 48% are interested in meeting a potential relationship partner.
• 72% think that before a real meeting with an online acquaintance, it is necessary to talk on the phone or, even better, in a video chat in order to understand the person in front of them.

It’s curious that Covid-19 has made its own adjustments to the world of online dating. More and more people are ready to transfer dating offline only if a person is vaccinated against the coronavirus. Many dating sites and apps take this into account, adding special badges to the profiles of vaccinated users, and encouraging vaccination by giving vaccinated users more free features.

Why do modern people use dating sites so actively? And do they really help you meet your love? According to the results of the mentioned research, about 64% of people believe that the partner search algorithm understands their preferences well and recommends interesting people. Yet at the same time, 39% of respondents say such algorithms are dehumanizing. They deprive a person of freedom of choice and they still need to be abandoned. Who is right? And are algorithms really that efficient? Or is it a matter of self-deception? Let's figure it out!

How partner search algorithms work on dating sites and apps

Developers strive to make their applications unique and use various methods to do this — from unique design and layout to unique technical features and exclusive algorithms.

Let's look at how such algorithms operate,  using specific examples.

Tinder and its rivals: simplicity — the key to success

The Tinder algorithm is quite simple. It is based on mutual likes and the location of users. The app shows you photos of potential partners nearby, and you swipe left or right depending on whether you like them or not. If the attractions match, the application will let you chat.

Simplicity and convenience have made Tinder one of the most popular dating apps in the world. The algorithm is clear and generally works well. But are you ready to limit your search for a match to only a certain region? Why be tied to location when your true love might be in another city, country, or even on another continent? Give yourself more freedom, don't let Tinder and its clones set boundaries for you.

​​OkCupid — psychology and mathematics

The OkCupid developers approached the development of their match selection algorithm in a more complex way and used a mathematical approach. Initially, users were asked to give answers to 350 questions, according to which the algorithm found perfect matches for users. Later, the number of questions was reduced to 150.

Such a serious approach is praiseworthy. And in laboratory conditions, the OkCupid algorithm works quite effectively. But the human factor remains. Not everyone is ready to answer 150 questions. Many simply get tired in the process and give completely random answers. As a result, the algorithm does not work correctly. So if you are not ready to spend a lot of time on online dating, OkCupid and its matchmaking principles are not for you.

Hinge — science on the side of dating

Hinge uses the unique Gale-Shapley algorithm, developed back in 1962 and awarded the Nobel Prize. It comes down to the fact that with an equal number of men and women, regardless of their number, each person will be able to find the most suitable match for them. But this is such a rough description, in fact, there are many nuances in the Gale-Shapley algorithm. We advise you to study its features at your leisure — there is a lot of information on the Web.

But the presence of a Nobel Prize is no guarantee of  success. And the Gale-Shapley algorithm was developed long before the appearance of the first dating sites and applications of the modern era. Whether you rely on it or not is up to you.

What to do for those who do not want to entrust their fate to a soulless algorithm?

Of course, sometimes dating app algorithms work great. And they have been developing very rapidly in recent years. But tell us, are you personally ready to trust such an algorithm 100%? After all, it essentially deprives you of the freedom of choice. You may never meet your ideal match on the dating app just because your answers in the questionnaire did not match or the app is looking for people within a radius of 5 kilometers, and your ideal partner lives 7 kilometers from you.

We believe that sometimes it is better to completely abandon the use of any algorithms and trust fate. And in this regard, video chat sites come to our aid to communicate with random people online. Good examples include video chat sites coomeet.com, Chatrandom, Chatroulette, OmeTV and others.

There is an important point here. Almost every modern video chat site offers several search settings — gender and geographic filters, a list of interests, language, and more. But these are user-configurable settings, and not algorithms with principles of operation incomprehensible to the end user. In addition, these settings can be easily turned off so you can trust in chance.

What should we expect from dating algorithms and how will they develop in the future?

It’s very difficult to predict which way the online dating industry will move in the near future. And besides, the current public interest in the metaverse may soon completely reshape this industry. We wouldn't like to think too far ahead.

Nevertheless, we are convinced that pair search algorithms will continue to develop and improve. On the one hand, this is good — you’ll be able to find a potentially suitable match more quickly. On the other hand, it will further limit you and continue to take away the right to choose. We suspect that there will be a reckoning one day when Internet users will oppose some program attempting to decide their fate. But so far this has not happened.

Personally, we advise you not to rely on such algorithms, but to leave room in your life for chance meetings and unexpected acquaintances. For this video chat sites are needed — a great alternative to dating applications, where only you decide with whom and on what topics to interact, how to get acquainted, and when to meet up offline, if at all. Try it, you’ll like it!