A new trend is sweeping TikTok: #boysober. Its rules? No dating apps, no dates, no exes, no hookups. Thousands of women are uploading videos describing why they have gone boy sober and extolling its benefits.
What could cause this kind of heterosexual exodus? Two words: dating apps.
The apps have transformed the landscape of modern romance, offering convenience, accessibility and the promise of connection at the swipe of a finger. But they have also become breeding grounds for harassment, abuse and assault.
The No 1 reason women are going boy sober is that the dating pool has turned toxic.
When conducted research on dating apps and intimacy in 2020 the majority of women in my study had encountered technologically facilitated violence. This included abusive behavior, receiving unsolicited sexual imagery, being asked for sexual imagery, and encountering fraudsters, bullies and even stalkers.
The decline of dating app use has been steady: statistics reveal a 5% decline in user activity on Tinder, the leading global dating app, in 2021. Shares in Bumble and Match Group, Tinder’s parent company, have experienced consistent drops over the past few years. This trend poses a growing challenge for these companies, especially with more than 90% of generation Z expressing frustration with dating apps, as reported by the youth research agency Savanta.
A sense of unease and vulnerability is driving women away from the apps. Numerous studies have highlighted the alarming prevalence of unsolicited explicit messages, stalking and catfishing scams targeting women. This climate of fear not only erodes trust but also undermines the fundamental purpose of dating apps as spaces for genuine interaction. My research demonstrates that for many women the trauma of being on dating apps is not worth the potential of meeting a partner – with many indicating they are unwilling to sacrifice their mental or physical health.
As women continue to leave dating apps in search of safer, more equitable alternatives, the onus is on industry stakeholders and policymakers to address the issues driving this exodus. It’s imperative that we confront them head on, fostering a culture of safety, respect and inclusivity within online dating platforms.
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Thoughts?
What could cause this kind of heterosexual exodus? Two words: dating apps.
No dating apps, no dates, no exes, no hookups: what’s driving the ‘boy sober’ trend? | Lisa Portolan
Women continue to bear the brunt of online harassment and abuse. A reckoning is overdue
www.theguardian.com
The apps have transformed the landscape of modern romance, offering convenience, accessibility and the promise of connection at the swipe of a finger. But they have also become breeding grounds for harassment, abuse and assault.
The No 1 reason women are going boy sober is that the dating pool has turned toxic.
When conducted research on dating apps and intimacy in 2020 the majority of women in my study had encountered technologically facilitated violence. This included abusive behavior, receiving unsolicited sexual imagery, being asked for sexual imagery, and encountering fraudsters, bullies and even stalkers.
The decline of dating app use has been steady: statistics reveal a 5% decline in user activity on Tinder, the leading global dating app, in 2021. Shares in Bumble and Match Group, Tinder’s parent company, have experienced consistent drops over the past few years. This trend poses a growing challenge for these companies, especially with more than 90% of generation Z expressing frustration with dating apps, as reported by the youth research agency Savanta.
A sense of unease and vulnerability is driving women away from the apps. Numerous studies have highlighted the alarming prevalence of unsolicited explicit messages, stalking and catfishing scams targeting women. This climate of fear not only erodes trust but also undermines the fundamental purpose of dating apps as spaces for genuine interaction. My research demonstrates that for many women the trauma of being on dating apps is not worth the potential of meeting a partner – with many indicating they are unwilling to sacrifice their mental or physical health.
As women continue to leave dating apps in search of safer, more equitable alternatives, the onus is on industry stakeholders and policymakers to address the issues driving this exodus. It’s imperative that we confront them head on, fostering a culture of safety, respect and inclusivity within online dating platforms.
---------------------
Thoughts?