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Diversity in the dating sector
Take a moment to imagine what an online dating sector would be like if we didn’t listen to diverse voices creating dating apps and websites? How many people would miss out on love and connection because their needs weren’t encompassed in the design, intention or experience of online dating?
At the Online Dating Association, we are eager to support diverse voices in our sector, and in particular the diverse voices of women. We know that people of different gender-identities experience online dating differently, as do people of different cultures, ethnicities, religions, sexual identities and life experiences, among others.
When women’s voices are around the table designing dating services, important considerations come into play, such as their valuable lived experience around safety. Experiences of verbal harassment towards women have long been a challenge for dating services - it took women’s experiences and viewpoints to create apps and websites which incorporate ‘safety-by-design’ frameworks. It is also thanks to women’s experiences on dating services, among other platforms, that cyberflashing (the sending of unwanted nude images) has been made illegal in the Online Safety Bill.
Research by women has shown the pros and cons of utilising background checks in dating, with evidence showing that some groups of people are unfairly treated by the criminal justice system and this could then impact their ability to date. Women have made clear the importance of keeping those with a record of domestic violence and coercive control off of dating services, and we at the ODA continue to advocate for this to be easier for the developers of dating platforms.
When women’s experiences are given equal footing in the design of dating apps, the likelihood women will feel both safer, and have a better experience, is increased. And we know, with a better experience for users, comes greater consumer retention and return. So many challengers in the dating space are designed or co-designed by women, and these have a high chance of success because they often deliver a ‘something different’ which a group of users have been looking for.
But women’s viewpoints don’t just create safer apps; they also bring a range of ideas for new features, products, and solutions. Utilising the frameworks of ‘matching’ in dating, but applying them to new scenarios - for instance in matching new mums, or in making friendships - has been pioneered by women.
However, we still have a major gap in investment when it comes to female entrepreneurs. We may never know the amazing dating services, safety features, payments flows, risk management solutions or other innovative products we have missed out because women miss out on the initial support, with both experience and finances. Government, investors and the tech sector must do better to support women with ideas in tech.
I am delighted to work with so many innovative, impressive, thoughtful and successful women in the dating sector. From creating female-focused dating services, to safety-by-design frameworks, to APIs and moderation systems, to designers, coders and, of course, advocates, I see everyday how important women’s voices are in supporting both a successful and an enjoyable technology sector.
techUK is marching forward to close the tech gender gap in 2023. Throughout March, coinciding with International Women’s Day (IWD 2023) on 8 March, we are exploring how we embrace equitable workplaces. The UN’s theme for IWD 2023 focuses on Digital for All or DigitALL, and we are proud to support this.
For more information, please visit our Women in Tech hub.
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Authors
Hannah Shimko
Hannah's work at the ODA focuses on the impact of legislation and regulation on the online dating sector, as well as communicating the benefits and challenges of online dating and its services to stakeholders and the public.