‘The science isn’t there’: do dating apps really help us find our soulmate?

The effectiveness of Tinder and Hinge is hard to judge without access to their data. But now researchers are creating a free alternative with full transparency

A class-action lawsuit filed in a US federal court last Valentine's Day accuses Match Group - the owners of Tinder, Hinge and OkCupid dating apps, among others - of using a predatory business model" and of doing everything in its power to keep users hooked, in flagrant opposition to Hinge's claim that it is designed to be deleted".

The lawsuit crystallised an ocean of dissatisfaction with the apps, and stimulated a new round of debate over their potential to harm mental health, but for scientists who study romantic relationships it sidestepped the central issue: do they work? Does using the apps increase your chances of finding your soulmate, or not? The answer is, nobody knows.