As research shows many have a poor online dating experience, those who have deleted the apps discuss pitfalls. The Guardian asked people to share why they had chosen to ditch dating apps and forge connections in other ways.
I have found the men in London in particular to be flaky, chronically busy or emotionally unavailable. I definitely felt better emotionally, and have attended several speed datings events which I prefer.
Most viewed
Claire, 38, London. I would routinely delete Bumble when my confidence became so low from having no meaningful connections. But I kept redownloading and repeating the cycle out of boredom, desperation and curiosity. Through Bumble I met a handsome, check this out man who was well dating, connected to his culture and seemed to be loyal and have close relationships with his family.
We texted a lot and were excited about meeting. We met for brunch near my home, and he was chatty, friendly and complimented me on my looks. He came back for a cup of tea at mine and, as he was leaving, asked to see me again.
I said yes. Then he looked into my eyes and asked to kiss me. Of course! After he left, my heart was fluttering. But when I messaged him that evening, Olsen onlyfans got no reply. A few days later, I followed up. A few days later I was swiping and saw this man again with a profile based in another dating and different pictures.
The whole thing guy freaked me out and I deleted the app. Louise, 41, Perth Australia. I decided to have a learn more here and go cold turkey in June.
Ben, 33, Copenhagen. Maybe they represent who they want dating be. My most app relationship of four years came through an app, but he lied so much about himself, hiding his location, that he was divorced with a child, and other aspects. I now realise the app enabled him to lie about who app was. The energy drain ultimately became too much. So I stopped. Overall, being single and free felt pretty incredible — no more fake small talk or dodging creepy dudes trying to sext me! Kaye, 36, Los Angeles. But even in two major cities, I experienced minimal success and deleted them earlier this year.
I love adventure sports, so any guy with rock climbing photos got an instant swipe right!
Related stories
Since quitting, and moving back to the UK, I was set up on a date with a friend of a friend. I thought, why not? Would I have swiped right app him? Ellie, 35, Kent. My dating life post-university only happened through dating apps, and I met my ex-girlfriend through Tinder in They were also helpful to meet people while travelling in Thailand. But dating apps in the s feel much less fun. As a south Asian man, I noticed that I would get very few likes from white women in London. And I began to internalise this implicit feedback, that I was unattractive and undesirable, which in hindsight was allowing dating apps to warp my view of reality.
I remembered going to parties and getting interest from white women and thinking: how could they possibly guy interested in me as a brown man? Growing up as the member of a minority, the apps magnified this sense of otherness. It feels great to meet people without the need for corporations and algorithms.
Peter, 31, London. This article is more than 1 month old. View image in fullscreen. Explore more on these topics Online dating Dating Tinder Relationships news.
Reuse this content. More on this story.
‘Some men tend to jump straight to innuendoes’: dating app users on why they quit
Science Weekly. Meet the parents: Tinder introduces approval guy for friends and family. Tinder tests AI tool to help users select best-looking photos. Most viewed.