Current:Home > InvestLawsuit claims Tinder and Hinge dating apps, owned by Match, are designed to hook users-InfoLens
Lawsuit claims Tinder and Hinge dating apps, owned by Match, are designed to hook users
View Date:2025-01-11 16:49:46
The parent company of dating apps Tinder, Hinge, and the League, the Match Group, is facing a class action lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges that the apps are designed to hook users and generate more profit for the company. It was filed in San Francisco on Wednesday which was Valentine's Day.
The federal lawsuit is being brought forth by six people from four states: California, Florida, Georgia and New York, and is seeking class-action status. The complaint argues that Match violated state and federal consumer protection, false advertising, and defective design laws.
"Instead, Match affirmatively represents the Platforms as effective tools for establishing off-app relationships while secretly doing everything in its power to capture and sustain paying subscribers and keep them on-app," the complaint said.
According to the complaint, Match's platforms are designed to turn people into "addicts" and use features "to gamify the platforms to transform users into gamblers locked in a search for psychological rewards that Match makes elusive on purpose."
The lawsuit said these practices were inconsistent with the company's ad slogan that the apps are "designed to be deleted." Instead, the lawsuit said the company doesn't help people find true love and keeps them buying subscriptions to increase Match's revenue.
"Harnessing powerful technologies and hidden algorithms, Match intentionally designs the platforms with addictive, game-like design features, which lock users into a perpetually pay-to-play loop that prioritizes corporate profits over its marketing promises and customers' relationship goals," the lawsuit said.
Romance scam:A widow opened herself up to new love. Instead, she was catfished for a million dollars.
Match Group denies claims alleged in lawsuit
In a statement to USA TODAY, the Math Group denied the allegations in the lawsuit.
"This lawsuit is ridiculous and has zero merit. Our business model is not based on advertising or engagement metrics. We actively strive to get people on dates every day and off our apps. Anyone who states anything else doesn't understand the purpose and mission of our entire industry," a spokesperson said.
veryGood! (65)
Related
- John Robinson, successful football coach at USC and with the LA Rams, has died at 89
- Bodies of 4 people found in burning southeastern Indiana home, police say
- 2 snowmachine riders found dead after search in western Alaska
- Colorado authorities identify 4 people found dead following reported shooting inside home
- Jana Duggar Reveals She's Adjusting to City Life Amid Move Away From Farm
- Andre Braugher was a pioneer in playing smart, driven, flawed Black characters
- Is a soft landing in sight? What the Fed funds rate and mortgage rates are hinting at
- Epic Games beat Google but lost to Apple in monopoly lawsuits. What does it all mean?
- Reese Witherspoon's Daughter Ava Phillippe Introduces Adorable New Family Member
- The Powerball jackpot is halfway to $1 billion: When is the next drawing?
Ranking
- Kennesaw State football coach Brian Bohannon steps down after 10 seasons amid first year in FBS
- Woman who Montana police say drove repeatedly through religious group pleads not guilty
- NJ man charged with decapitating his mother, sang 'Jesus Loves Me' during arrest: Police
- The U.S. May Not Have Won Over Critics in Dubai, But the Biden Administration Helped Keep the Process Alive
- California farmers enjoy pistachio boom, with much of it headed to China
- Hackers had access to patient information for months in New York hospital cyberattack, officials say
- Shannen Doherty Slams Rumors She and Ex Kurt Iswarienko Had an Open Marriage
- Tropical Cyclone Jasper weakens while still lashing northeastern Australia with flooding rain
Recommendation
-
New Orleans marks with parade the 64th anniversary of 4 little girls integrating city schools
-
Shannen Doherty Slams Rumors She and Ex Kurt Iswarienko Had an Open Marriage
-
Supreme Court will hear a case that could undo Capitol riot charge against hundreds, including Trump
-
Streaming services roll out special features for Swifties looking to rent 'Eras Tour'
-
Brianna LaPaglia Addresses Zach Bryan's Deafening Silence After Emotional Abuse Allegations
-
New Mexico Supreme Court weighs whether to strike down local abortion restrictions
-
Colorado authorities identify 4 people found dead following reported shooting inside home
-
News outlets and NGOs condemn Hungary’s new ‘sovereignty protection’ law as a way to silence critics