By Charlotte Calvert

In an age where we are no longer coerced by our friends into blind dates, where speed dating is a distant memory and meet cutes of the films seem out of reach how is it possible to find love in the age of dating online? We find ourselves a generation with the most advanced dating technology that has ever been available and such a huge array of dates at their fingertips but why is it that it appears harder than ever to find the one? 

I’m sure we all know at least one person who uses dating apps and with statistics like these, it isn’t surprising that you would. With the app store bringing us apps such as Tinder, Hinge, Bumble, Her and Grindr to name a few, we’re spoilt for choice. Whether you’re Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Pansexual,  

Transgender, Genderqueer, Queer, Asexual or anything in between, there is always a dating app or category for you. These apps bring together thousands of people from such a range of backgrounds and with every combination of looks and style under the sun, it seems impossible that you won’t find at least one person…right? But Gen Z somehow seem to have found a way to make it difficult.  

On a more positive note, dating apps like Tinder and Hinge provide a great way of avoiding rejection, as both parties must like each other before they can interact. This alleviates a lot of the anxiety around dating which is a huge plus for many users. Although the need for this constant reassurance prior to trying your best chat up lines has now not only extended its practice from online, but often into reality too. So unfortunately, it does find your dream of chatting up that gorgeous stranger in the coffee shop, one step further away.  

Here at Spoiled Nation, we took lockdown as a chance to have a chat with a few of our readers and ask them about their experiences on dating apps and their opinions on how effective these platforms are:  

Megan Gosling (20) Law student: “I think that everyone feels the need to have a profile these days because it’s the only way you’ll meet people. It’s made everyone so antisocial in real life in regards to dating and I honestly wish they weren’t a thing” 

Molly Mason (20) Sociology student: “I think they’re the worst thing to happen to our generation. They create a culture of one night stands and a lack of emotional attachment. I’m not sure our generation will ever want to get married after using these apps for such a long time. There’s too much choice now and people constantly feel like there’s something better out there. ” 

Its reported by techjury that as of July 2020 there were over 50 million tinder profiles and more than 30 Billion matches to date, yet only 1700 photos tagged on Instagram as #tinderwedding. The belief in marriage has shot right down from our grandparents and parents, with as many as 42% of marriages in 2019 ending in divorce says gov.uk, it doesn’t seem likely that our hope is going to rise anytime soon. It does seem to beg the question as to whether these apps really work and if they are the key to finding your next relationship?