New Delhi, Nov 30 (IANSlife): The rise of digital dating platforms, artificial intelligence, and changing social norms have significantly influenced how Gen Z and Millennials perceive and experience love and relationships. The Indian dating app QuackQuack, inching close to 30 Million users, gathered data from users across India to delve deeper into the fascinating trends and intricacies of modern romance.
The two-day online audience analysis saw 14,000 participants, primarily from Tier 1 and 2 cities. Individuals ranging between 18 to 35, 56% male and 44% female, joined the poll and answered a carefully drafted questionnaire. QuackQuack's Founder and CEO, Ravi Mittal, commented, "We are very close to bagging 30 Million users, and there couldn't be a better time to get a clearer picture of the current dating trends. For instance, niche dating is huge today. 44% of our daters prefer tailored matches based on their specific preferences over traditional trial and error dating."
Niche dating
QuackQuack's survey indicated a rise in the trend of niche dating. 44% of daters, male and female, remarked it is more effective to find tailored matches based on their specific interests, lifestyles, or communities. The traditional way of online dating, the "trial and error method," as the GenZ daters called it, takes more time and effort; the chances of error can take an emotional toll, too. Niche dating focuses on compatibility beyond the surface level. For instance, an avid reader would scope through profiles and find one that mentions reading or anything that indicates a potential match's love for reading, and based on this shared interest, connect. These individuals mentioned that a dog-lover would not have to date a cat-lover and fight about what's better, or a movie buff does not have to explain how it is the best form of media to their match; people can shift their focus from explanations to what's more important, building a connection.
Personalized Matchmaker
The survey shows that a substantial 34% of QuackQuack users from metropolitan areas and smaller cities rely significantly on the app's newly introduced personalized matchmaker feature. This tool offers invaluable advice on enhancing user profiles, thereby attracting higher-quality matches.
Interestingly, 23% of male users below the age of 28 find the suggestions on profile improvement, such as strategically mentioning details in the BIO section and crafting an effective first message, to be the most beneficial aspect of this feature. Whereas 21% of female users appreciate the safety tips provided by the feature, considering them as the most valuable component. This diversity in user preferences showcases the app's ability to cater to a wide range of needs.
AI-Generated Response
According to the survey results, more than 13% of men and 8% of women use AI tools to craft the perfect first message or even respond to their match to impress them with wit and humor. It has refined the way people communicate. While 21% of daters find it harmless, the vast majority think AI-generated responses take away from the authenticity of the interaction. The wit used to impress a match is not their own, says the individuals against it. You will be evaluating your match based on how they speak, but the voice is not quite their own. Delving deeper into the ethical considerations surrounding the use of AI in fostering relationships, these daters think such a practice can corrupt genuine intimacy.
Love-Bombing
The study has highlighted a concerning but not typically toxic trend- love bombing. 28% of Tier 1 and 2 women in the dating age group expressed concerns about this phenomenon, which involves individuals showering their romantic interests with intense love and attention on their match during the initial stages, only for the affection to significantly diminish once the pursuit or the chase is over. Love-bombing, while not new, has found new avenues in the digital realm, making it difficult to distinguish genuine affection from manipulation. This blurring of emotional authenticity poses a challenge for modern daters, raising questions about the sincerity of affectionate gestures in relationships.