Most ominous things about dating apps
Is how they have extremely powerful algorithms that can basically quantify compatibility (if you agree it’s based on a set of finite characteristics which is extremely limited but works for the purpose of a dating app) but choose not to fully take advantage of that capability because matching as many people as possible would completely dissolve their business model
Way back in the day, OK Cupid’s data science blog posted that people had like an 80% chance of forming a long term relationship if they answered the same on:
Do you smoke?
Have you ever traveled around another country alone?
Wouldn’t it be fun to chuck it all and go live on a sailboat?
So you apparently don’t need much algorithmic power at all.
(Also this was very very long ago and I may have garbled the details. The blog appears to be gone.)
Huh. I never thought about the fact that dating apps have zero incentive to create long-term relationships. The ideal dating app from a business perspective creates fiery and short-term relationships so they get back on the app after their last “successful relationship.”
I think about it a lot. Like how I have a certain number of interests, preferences, way of communication, way of expressing love that one could easily capture with an algorithm. Hell, imagine what’s on your instagram/YouTube/tik tok and the sheer accuracy of the things on it in relation to you. Could you not put that same algorithm into a dating app?
I mean I think we are getting into the same semantic word games on the thread with 500+ comments. I would say that the ideal match maker is chatGPT, sure. But as I kinda alluded to, it’s still extremely limited
Ideally, you’d find that person irl if we all weren’t so atomized and had third spaces. But since we don’t, and most people value some type of human connection, I guess we’ll have to work with what we got.
It’s always been almost funny to me how apps like tinder/hinge “match” people based on limited text blurbs. It’s almost a performance at that point (which probably doesn’t make it much different from impressing someone at a bar)
OKCupid supposedly used to be really good at matching people until Match bought them out and started throwing up paywalls in front of basic functionality
Most ominous things about dating apps Is how they have extremely powerful algorithms that can basically quantify compatibility (if you agree it’s based on a set of finite characteristics which is extremely limited but works for the purpose of a dating app) but choose not to fully take advantage of that capability because matching as many people as possible would completely dissolve their business model
Lmao
Way back in the day, OK Cupid’s data science blog posted that people had like an 80% chance of forming a long term relationship if they answered the same on:
So you apparently don’t need much algorithmic power at all.
(Also this was very very long ago and I may have garbled the details. The blog appears to be gone.)
More importantly I might find someone who’s actually compatible with me and Moloch has forbidden my joy
Huh. I never thought about the fact that dating apps have zero incentive to create long-term relationships. The ideal dating app from a business perspective creates fiery and short-term relationships so they get back on the app after their last “successful relationship.”
I think about it a lot. Like how I have a certain number of interests, preferences, way of communication, way of expressing love that one could easily capture with an algorithm. Hell, imagine what’s on your instagram/YouTube/tik tok and the sheer accuracy of the things on it in relation to you. Could you not put that same algorithm into a dating app?
So what you’re saying is the ideal partner is ChatGPT 🙃
I mean I think we are getting into the same semantic word games on the thread with 500+ comments. I would say that the ideal match maker is chatGPT, sure. But as I kinda alluded to, it’s still extremely limited
Ideally, you’d find that person irl if we all weren’t so atomized and had third spaces. But since we don’t, and most people value some type of human connection, I guess we’ll have to work with what we got.
It’s always been almost funny to me how apps like tinder/hinge “match” people based on limited text blurbs. It’s almost a performance at that point (which probably doesn’t make it much different from impressing someone at a bar)
OKCupid supposedly used to be really good at matching people until Match bought them out and started throwing up paywalls in front of basic functionality
Yeah, that tracks. All of this seems to stem from enshitification :/
That’s how I met Ms. Stapler, it’s sad that it’s gone.