The Impact of Dating Apps on Young Adults: Evidence from Tinder

Berkeren Büyükeren, Alexey Makarin and Heyu Xiong

American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 2026, vol. 18, issue 2, 61-106

Abstract: Online dating apps have transformed the dating market, yet their broader effects remain unclear. We study Tinder's impact on college students using its initial marketing focus on Greek organizations for identification. We show that the full-scale launch of Tinder led to a sharp, persistent increase in sexual activity, but with little corresponding impact on the formation of long-term relationships or relationship quality. Dating outcome inequality, especially among men, rose, alongside rates of sexual assault and STDs. However, despite these changes, Tinder's introduction did not worsen students' mental health on average and may have even led to improvements for female students.

JEL-codes: I12 I23 J13 J16 L86 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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DOI: 10.1257/app.20240455

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