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Are Dating App Algorithms Making Men Lonely and Does This Present a Public Health Concern?

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

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Are Dating App Algorithms Making Men Lonely and Does This Present a Public Health Concern? / Balki, Eric.
In: JMIR Formative Research, Vol. 9, e70594, 07.04.2025.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Harvard

Balki, E 2025, 'Are Dating App Algorithms Making Men Lonely and Does This Present a Public Health Concern?', JMIR Formative Research, vol. 9, e70594. https://doi.org/10.2196/70594

APA

Balki, E. (2025). Are Dating App Algorithms Making Men Lonely and Does This Present a Public Health Concern? JMIR Formative Research, 9, Article e70594. https://doi.org/10.2196/70594

Vancouver

Balki E. Are Dating App Algorithms Making Men Lonely and Does This Present a Public Health Concern? JMIR Formative Research. 2025 Apr 7;9:e70594. doi: 10.2196/70594

Author

Balki, Eric. / Are Dating App Algorithms Making Men Lonely and Does This Present a Public Health Concern?. In: JMIR Formative Research. 2025 ; Vol. 9.

Bibtex

@article{7da1ad7ac2984907954d0758c719da87,
title = "Are Dating App Algorithms Making Men Lonely and Does This Present a Public Health Concern?",
abstract = "During the pandemic, dating apps emerged as essential platforms connecting users amid social isolation, experiencing rapid growth in engagement and profile creation. This paper examines the evolution of these apps, highlighting their shift from facilitating offline encounters to promoting match accumulation for revenue. In particular, the study investigates gender disparities, addictive behaviors, and algorithmic match throttling that disproportionately impact men's psychological well-being. Drawing on evidence linking dating app use to increased depression and anxiety, the analysis calls for regulatory intervention to eliminate pay-for-advantage models and ensure fair, healthy user experiences, thereby mitigating adverse public health outcomes. [Abstract copyright: {\textcopyright}Eric Balki. Originally published in JMIR Formative Research (https://formative.jmir.org), 07.04.2025.]",
keywords = "loneliness, Interpersonal Relations, Public Health, mental health, Algorithms, Humans, depression, Male, COVID-19 - psychology, men, Adult, Mobile Applications, algorithm, Social Isolation - psychology, Female, anxiety, dating apps",
author = "Eric Balki",
year = "2025",
month = apr,
day = "7",
doi = "10.2196/70594",
language = "English",
volume = "9",
journal = "JMIR Formative Research",
issn = "2561-326X",
publisher = "JMIR PUBLICATIONS, INC",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Are Dating App Algorithms Making Men Lonely and Does This Present a Public Health Concern?

AU - Balki, Eric

PY - 2025/4/7

Y1 - 2025/4/7

N2 - During the pandemic, dating apps emerged as essential platforms connecting users amid social isolation, experiencing rapid growth in engagement and profile creation. This paper examines the evolution of these apps, highlighting their shift from facilitating offline encounters to promoting match accumulation for revenue. In particular, the study investigates gender disparities, addictive behaviors, and algorithmic match throttling that disproportionately impact men's psychological well-being. Drawing on evidence linking dating app use to increased depression and anxiety, the analysis calls for regulatory intervention to eliminate pay-for-advantage models and ensure fair, healthy user experiences, thereby mitigating adverse public health outcomes. [Abstract copyright: ©Eric Balki. Originally published in JMIR Formative Research (https://formative.jmir.org), 07.04.2025.]

AB - During the pandemic, dating apps emerged as essential platforms connecting users amid social isolation, experiencing rapid growth in engagement and profile creation. This paper examines the evolution of these apps, highlighting their shift from facilitating offline encounters to promoting match accumulation for revenue. In particular, the study investigates gender disparities, addictive behaviors, and algorithmic match throttling that disproportionately impact men's psychological well-being. Drawing on evidence linking dating app use to increased depression and anxiety, the analysis calls for regulatory intervention to eliminate pay-for-advantage models and ensure fair, healthy user experiences, thereby mitigating adverse public health outcomes. [Abstract copyright: ©Eric Balki. Originally published in JMIR Formative Research (https://formative.jmir.org), 07.04.2025.]

KW - loneliness

KW - Interpersonal Relations

KW - Public Health

KW - mental health

KW - Algorithms

KW - Humans

KW - depression

KW - Male

KW - COVID-19 - psychology

KW - men

KW - Adult

KW - Mobile Applications

KW - algorithm

KW - Social Isolation - psychology

KW - Female

KW - anxiety

KW - dating apps

U2 - 10.2196/70594

DO - 10.2196/70594

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 40193188

VL - 9

JO - JMIR Formative Research

JF - JMIR Formative Research

SN - 2561-326X

M1 - e70594

ER -