Don't ghost this story: Swipe right to reveal Launceston's dating habits

Despite some negative connotations, adults use dating apps to meet in today's fast-paced digital society.

The Examiner asked Launceston adults about their dating habits through an anonymous survey.

Here is what you told us.

A 2023 report from Tinder said ''technology continues to positively disrupt how people meet with the majority of people under 30 using dating apps''.

The survey responses reflected the fundamental purpose of dating apps is to meet new people.

The survey said Tinder was the most used app, followed by Hinge and Bumble.

Other reasons people said they used dating apps included looking for casual and long-term relationships or branching out of social circles.

"I use dating apps - going on dates to find someone to have a long-term relationship with," John* said.

''I am on Tinder - mostly for a bit of fun I guess," Sam said.

Many people say working full-time can make it challenging to meet someone naturally and that dating apps give them the chance to make these connections.

"I find it's really hard to meet people naturally," Paul said.

Tracey said, "I've been single for a while, work full-time, and [am] not overly fond of putting myself in social settings."

Alternatively, others weren't currently using dating apps because they were "pointless" and "superficial".

"I don't use dating apps anymore - they're incredibly superficial places that are filled with predators and people with baggage,'' Claire said.

"I have spent time on and off them over the last decade with very little success in finding anything meaningful."

A minority said they weren't currently using apps as they were already in relationships - some had previously met through a dating app.

Some other apps used included Zoosk, Plenty of Fish Dating and Christian Connection.

When asked whether people had used other dating apps in the past, most responses indicated they had used a variety.

Most respondents said the dating pool was very similar across different apps, and they were "sick of seeing the same people".

The survey highlighted that Tinder has a reputation for being the 'hook-up' app, while people who use Bumble and others have more genuine intentions.

"I've used Tinder in the past, multiple times. I wanted to try Bumble to be able to start a fresh and move away from an app with the reputation of being a hook-up app,'' Juliette said.

"It honestly hasn't been that different on bumble though. It's slightly nicer to use and I like the profile format more than Tinder.''

Chris said, "I found that Bumble was a much nicer experience as it empowers women and takes away some of the creepiness", as Bumble requires women to message first.

However, Jasmine said they tried Bumble for a "fresh start", but it wasn't "that different".

Others commented that it was easier to make connections if they paid for a premium membership.

We all want to experience the typical movie scene meet-cute, but for many of us, this seems improbable.

"Ideally, we'd all like to run into someone on a night out and madly fall in love, but in today's society, it's so much harder to do so," Sophie said.

"Dating apps also give introverts a fighting chance!"

Some people said apps can take the "guesswork" out of the dating process, as users' intentions are - more or less - clearly stated.

"It's fantastic...there are few organic avenues available. It still gives us the choice of wanting to meet or not in a safe environment at arm's length," Sarah responded.

It was also suggested that dating apps can be helpful tools for meeting people in regional or rural communities or for introverts.

"As someone who doesn't enjoy partying and has a tight-knit group of friends, I don't see myself finding someone organically," Josh said.

Alternatively, many people said they found it hard to trust people and feel protected on the apps, saying, "There are a lot of scammers and ghosting on these sites."

Others said it could be hard to connect with someone online or know if there's a 'spark' and that many people are only looking for sexual gratification and superficial appearances.

''Most people look at dating apps as a means to find someone to pursue sexually, rather than someone to be romantically involved with," Tyler said.

"Apps also commodify romance and relationships, which cheapens the outcome. It's harder to connect with people you meet online,'' Jessica said.

Most respondents said they didn't use dating apps to make friends-however, friendships formed unintentionally.

Amber said she "met some wonderful and amazing people that [they] remain friends with".

"I have made friends through using [dating apps] to find romance but never used it intending just to make friend," said Max.

"I used bumble for a short period to make friends when I moved to a new city,'' said Nick.

A minority said they used dating apps to make friends when visiting or moving to a new place.

*Names have been changed for anonymity